Abstract / Summary
Abstract Introduction: Total hip replacement surgery is one of the most challenging procedures in orthopedic surgery. Due to its high sensitivity and risk of infection, it usually limits the ability of operating room students to attend and observe the procedure directly, especially at lower levels. The use of emerging technologies such as virtual reality and 360-degree videos, by creating an immersive experience close to physical presence, offers a solution to overcome this educational challenge. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a virtual reality-based hip replacement training program on the learning of operating room students. Methods In this study, which was designed as a two-group quasi-experimental (control-intervention) study with an additive structure, in which both groups had a common educational base (online) and the intervention group additionally received VR training, 36 operating room students (20 in the 5th semester and 16 in the 7th semester) were equally divided into two control groups (18 receiving conventional online training) and intervention groups (18 receiving online training combined with virtual reality and 360-degree video training). The level of student learning was measured with researcher-made tests (pre-test and post-test). The data were also analyzed and reported using SPSS statistical analysis software. Results In the intervention group (online education + VR), post-test scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores (Wilcoxon, p < 0.001), while in the control group (online education only) no significant difference was observed (p = 0.057). Between-group comparison showed that the mean post-test scores of the intervention group (12.83 ± 3.47) were significantly higher than those of the control group (6.72 ± 3.18) (independent T-test, T = 5.512, p < 0.001, very large effect size d = 1.89). The rate of learning progress in the intervention group was also significantly higher than that of the control group (Mann-Whitney, p = 0.004). Conclusion Compared to conventional online training, the virtual reality-based total hip arthroplasty training program significantly improved the learning of operating room students with a large effect size. Based on these findings, the use of virtual reality can be recommended as an effective supplement to conventional training in the field of specialized surgical training for operating room students.