The impact and challenges of integrating AR and VR in Indian healthcare education

Dear Editor,

We would like to comment on the recently published article titled “Role of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality from the Indian Healthcare Education Perspective – A Systematic Review”.[1] Although the review provides insightful information about the potential of AR and VR in Indian healthcare education, there are several issues that need more attention and critical analysis. These include the review’s scope, emerging technologies, and the difficulties and implications of implementing these technologies.

The review’s scope has been slightly decreased by sticking to PubMed as the only database. Even while PubMed is a reliable resource, given the interdisciplinary nature of AR and VR, it might not include all research on these topics. Other databases, such as IEEE Xplore or Scopus, might have been included to give a more complete picture of the state of Indian research today. Concerns regarding the review’s completeness are further raised by the restriction of six unretrievable abstracts.[1] There may be a distorted perception of the current status of AR and VR in Indian healthcare education if these abstracts are excluded, particularly if they include important discoveries.

New technologies with the potential to improve healthcare education include soft e-skin, Extended Reality (XR), and Mixed Reality (MR).[2] More research has to be done on their potential in the future as well as their present level of popularity in India. Furthermore, AI and machine learning have a big part to play in improving AR and VR applications in the medical field. With the help of these technologies, simulations can become more realistic and flexible, offering more individualized and successful training opportunities. The way AI is incorporated into AR and VR platforms has the potential to revolutionize healthcare education.[3]

Adopting AR and VR in Indian healthcare education has several implications and difficulties. While there are unmatched prospects to transform medical education, enhance patient safety, and lower real-world errors, these technologies also present challenges.[4] They can design immersive learning environments that improve comprehension of anatomy and intricate medical procedures. However, several obstacles prevent broad implementation. Significant obstacles include the high cost of AR and VR gear, the scarcity of VR simulators, and the requirement for specialized training to use these technologies efficiently.[5] Furthermore, interinstitutional collaboration is lacking, both domestically in India as well as globally, which is essential to the advancement of this field’s research and development. It is necessary to address the lack of industrial collaboration with teaching and training institutions to promote innovation and the useful application of AR and VR in healthcare education.

In conclusion, there is a lot of potential for AR, VR, MR, XR, and associated technologies to change healthcare education in India. To reach their full potential, though, an all-encompassing strategy that promotes cooperation and gets past adoption’s obstacles is necessary. The insights provided in the review are a valuable starting point, but there is much more to explore and develop in this rapidly evolving field.

Conflicts of interests

There are no conflicts of interest.

Funding Statement

Nil.