Discussion

VR is an innovative and valuable teaching method in medical education, offering immersive and asynchronous learning experiences that can supplement traditional education in medical training. This study explored perspectives from pediatric and emergency medicine residents on the implementation of a 360-degree video VR experience for pediatric trauma education. Overall, feedback suggests that learners perceived 360-degree VR as a feasible, engaging, and acceptable educational modality for pediatric trauma training.

Participants reported high levels of comfort, usability, perceived educational value, and enthusiasm for incorporating VR into future residency curricula. Many learners commented positively on the realism of the environment and the ‘observer’ perspective, allowing them to view the resuscitation from a broader perspective and have a better understanding of team dynamics, communication, and workflow. Another notable theme included the ability to ‘pause time,’ which gave participants the opportunity to process and reflect upon teaching points at their own pace. Participants also expressed a desire for increased interactivity during the experience, such as integrating decision-making prompts, embedded quizzes, and branching logic for more advanced learners to enhance engagement and assess knowledge acquisition. Together, the quantitative and qualitative findings suggest that a 360-degree video approach is a feasible and well-accepted method for delivering pediatric trauma education.

These findings are consistent with a growing body of literature demonstrating high learner acceptance of VR across medical education. Previous studies have similarly reported favorable ratings of immersion, engagement, and learner confidence following VR-based trauma education [14,16,27]. Likewise, a recent systematic review concluded that VR consistently demonstrates positive learner reactions comparable to traditional simulation but emphasized that evidence supporting improvements in objective learning outcomes remains limited [26]. Our findings extend this literature by suggesting that a low-cost, 360-degree video approach is both feasible and well-accepted for complex, high-stakes, and relatively low-frequency clinical scenarios such as pediatric trauma education, an area in which published evidence remains scarce.

Although this study did not directly compare 360-degree video with traditional simulation or fully immersive interactive VR, participants perceived several practical advantages of this approach. Compared with custom-built VR applications described in the literature, 360-degree video can be created using commercially available cameras and conventional video-editing software, potentially reducing development costs and technical barriers [19,21]. These characteristics may make 360-degree video particularly attractive for medical training programs seeking to supplement existing simulation curricula with asynchronous educational experiences.

Limitations and future directions

This study has several limitations. First, this was a single-center feasibility study with a relatively small sample size, particularly for the qualitative interviews, limiting transferability of our findings. Because only two interviews were completed, thematic saturation was not achieved, and qualitative findings should be interpreted as illustrative rather than comprehensive. Second, outcomes relied on the self-reported perceptions of the participants, introducing the possibility of response and social desirability bias. There were no objective assessments of knowledge acquisition, procedural skills, teamwork performance, or clinical outcomes. Third, the study did not include a control group or pre-post assessment, precluding conclusions regarding educational effectiveness or comparisons with traditional educational approaches. Lastly, long-term retention, behavioral changes, and clinical implementation were not evaluated, limiting understanding of sustained educational impact of the intervention.

Future work should build upon these feasibility findings by evaluating objective educational outcomes, including knowledge acquisition, behavioral performance during simulated or clinical trauma resuscitations, and long-term knowledge retention. Comparative studies examining 360-degree video alongside traditional simulation and fully immersive interactive VR would help define the optimal role of each modality within pediatric trauma education. In addition, learners consistently expressed interest in greater interactivity, suggesting that future iterations should explore embedded knowledge checks, branching clinical decision pathways, and adaptive learner feedback to enhance engagement and educational effectiveness.