From virtual to reality: evaluating student attitudes through VR dissection preparations: a use case

Animal dissections have long been central to anatomy and physiology education, despite their costs, safety issues, and ethical concerns. Alternatives like computer-based simulations and synthetic models often fail to replicate the authentic experience of live dissections. Virtual reality (VR) offers an immersive, interactive alternative that simulates hands-on dissections with real-time feedback and skill-building opportunities, while also mitigating ethical and emotional concerns associated with live specimens. We surveyed 118 undergraduate physiology students to assess their attitudes and preferences regarding both VR and live frog dissections, both before and after participating in each method. Although VR was not universally seen as a complete replacement, a large portion of students (80%) still recognized the hands-on value of live dissections in their education. A small cohort viewed them as "neutral" or "unnecessary" postsurvey, although this trend was insignificant (<i>P</i> = 0.093). Notably, 28% of students reported an increased preference for live dissections after the experiment, citing excitement and perceived educational value. In contrast, 15% expressed a preference for VR, highlighting its enhanced comfort and reduced discomfort. Our findings suggest VR as a supplementary tool, particularly for students hesitant about live dissection, and highlight its potential in science education. This research contributes to ongoing discussions on integrating new technologies into the laboratory and clinical education frameworks to improve learning outcomes.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> As animal dissection becomes less common in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, alternative methods like virtual reality (VR) are being explored. With the emphasis on training future healthcare professionals, it's crucial to understand how students perceive these methods. VR may help bridge the gap, but students' attitudes toward dissection and VR's role remain underexplored. We tested VR dissections followed by live dissections to better understand students' learning experiences in these environments.