Assessing the efficacy of a virtual reality lower leg fasciotomy surgery training model compared to cadaveric training.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) holds great potential in education that has not been actualized in surgical training programs; much of the research into medical applications of VR have been in management and decision making rather than procedural training. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of virtual reality surgical educational training (VR-SET) in open trauma surgery procedures compared to in person cadaver-based training (CBT). In traditional surgical educational settings multiple trainees share a cadaver, often due to logistical and fiscal limitations precluding routine one-to-one trainee to cadaver ratios.