Enhancing pediatric emergency training: the impact of virtual reality-simulation on medical student knowledge and learning experience—a pre-post intervention study

Abstract Pediatric emergencies present significant risks, and medical students often have limited exposure to these situations, hindering the development of clinical skills. Virtual reality (VR) simulation offer a solution by providing high-fidelity experiences for practicing clinical reasoning and procedures. This study aimed to assess knowledge gain and gather student perspectives following a seminar based on a pediatric emergency VR simulation. A 45-min VR case scenario involving a newborn with late-onset sepsis was developed and implemented as part of a seminar during their pediatric clinical rotation for medical students. The learning experience in the seminar was further enhanced by feedback from peers and an expert clinician. Students’ knowledge was assessed before and after the seminar using open-ended questions. Additionally, a post-seminar questionnaire was employed to gather feedback on estimated learning success in individual clinical competencies, the effectiveness of VR simulation as a learning tool, and the didactic concept. Of the 116 students who attended the seminar, pre- and post-tests assessing objective knowledge were completed by 109. Average knowledge scores increased from 7.80 ± 2.1 points before the seminar to 10.90 ± 1.2 points after (out of a maximum of 12 points) ( p < .001). Knowledge of 5 out of 6 individual diagnostic and therapeutic measures showed a significant increase. Regarding learning success, participants reported a significantly increased competence level in all four assessed categories (on average from 2.68 ± 1.07 to 4.15 ± 0.70 on a 5-point Likert scale, p < .001). The VR software used for learning the pediatric emergency and its integration into the didactic concept of the seminar were also positively evaluated retrospectively. VR simulations for pediatric emergencies offer a practical means for students to link theoretical knowledge with practical skills. They prove to be a motivating educational tool that leads to an enhancement in students’ knowledge. In addition to its positive impact on learning outcomes, the present study also illustrates another potential approach for integrating VR simulation into a curricular seminar format.