940 The Metaverse as a Potential Solution for the Delivery of Global Health Education

Abstract

Abstract Aim We describe a novel approach to the delivery of global health education (GHE) via the utilisation of the Metaverse. In 2015, the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery identified that the global burden of disease amenable to surgical intervention is substantial and growing. Virtual Reality in Medicine and Surgery (VRiMS) is an academic working group based at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) devoted to creating technology-based solutions in surgical and medical training and education. Method 10 East African surgeons were selected to attend a 5-day cadaveric dissection course in-person in Brighton, on fully funded scholarships. A parallel conference was also run in Kampala, Uganda and >1000 delegates attended remotely from 61 different countries. A proof of concept of the metaverse was created using the software Spatial. Delegates from the in-person course in Brighton and Kampala used Oculus and PICO headsets in order to access and interact within the metaverse build. Both a quantitative and qualitative approach was implemented for data collection utilising a survey as well semi-structured interviews. Results Feedback was positive and highlighted the interactivity of the platform, the multiple types of content which could be accessed and the level of immersion it provided. The majority of delegates felt that the metaverse could be beneficial in the delivery of medical and surgical education globally. Conclusions The Metaverse could be a novel approach in tackling issues in global health and global surgery and extensive future work related to its validity as an educational resource could be beneficial to trainees worldwide.