Ameen Mahmood and Professor Jag Dhanda look at how VR technology is transforming training and global access to surgery.
Virtual reality (VR) has moved beyond the realms of gaming and entertainment, now redefining how surgeons are trained. Today, a set of modified VR headsets are being used to train surgeons across the globe in complex surgical procedures. This is not only happening in high-end simulation centres and lecture theatres, but in resource-limited environments and conflict zones.
At the heart of this transformation is a UK-developed programme: Virtual Reality in Medicine and Surgery (VRiMS), founded, during the COVID-19 pandemic, by consultant maxillofacial surgeon, Professor Jagtar Dhanda. What began as a pioneering concept, when remote learning became a necessity, has evolved into a new model of surgical education: scalable and democratic. It has now grown into a global education platform with 11 international hubs, and a library of over 250 meticulously recorded VR surgical procedures. The programme aims to bridge geographical divides by enabling clinicians to access procedural teaching without stepping into an operating theatre.
At the recent Annual Meeting of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), its impact was formally presented, accompanied by data, testimonies, and a growing belief that surgical training will never be the same. The results are compelling. The evaluation, led by Imperial College London medical student, Ameen Mahmood, demonstrated that VR-based training not only improves procedural and anatomical understanding, but also significantly enhances confidence.
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