Technology in Healthcare: Medical Education Software
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“I’ve been really impressed with immersive virtual reality. To summarize, it’s an interactive, three-dimensional environment that allows one to evaluate themselves and make decisions in a very safe and effective environment…I think that it will accelerate people’s learning to the point where they’re much better prepared at the end of their training to become practicing physicians.”
Dr. Danny Goel, Clinical Professor at the University of British Columbia, and CEO and Founder of PrecisionOS
The landscape of medical education is undergoing a substantial shift with technology integration into traditional teaching approaches. Medical education technology is revolutionizing future healthcare professionals’ preparation, focusing on refining critical decision-making abilities and practical skills within a controlled educational setting.
Virtual reality simulations, augmented reality tools, and advanced medical software are driving this transformation, offering hands-on experiences that allow students to practice complex procedures and develop sound judgment without real-world consequences. This educational technology cultivates confidence and proficiency and deepens understanding of patient care nuances. By embracing these technological advancements, medical education technology is reshaping how students acquire and apply medical knowledge, ultimately equipping them with the skills essential for success in a dynamic healthcare landscape.
We spoke with Dr. Danny Goel, a doctor and clinical professor at the University of British Columbia, as well as CEO and founder of PrecisionOS, an immersive medical education technology company, to learn more about medical education technology.
Meet the Expert
Dr. Danny Goel, Clinical Professor at the University of British Columbia, and CEO and Founder of PrecisionOS
Dr. Danny Goel earned his medical degree and a master’s in science from the University of Manitoba. He then pursued his Orthopaedic Surgery training at the University of Calgary. Dr. Goel is shoulder fellowship trained from the University of Western Ontario and Harvard. He has also trained in complex shoulder tendon transfers at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Dr. Goel has his MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. His practice includes all aspects of arthroscopic and reconstructive shoulder surgery. He is a member and an examiner for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and is board-certified under the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He maintains privileges at Burnaby General and St. Paul’s Hospital. He is a member of the Canadian Orthopaedic Association, American Shoulder Elbow Surgeons, and the Canadian Shoulder and Elbow Society.
Dr. Goel’s research and clinical interests include surgical education and skill acquisition. He is also the CEO and founder of PrecisionOS, an immersive medical education software company.
Q&A with Dr. Danny Goel
The following interview has been edited lightly for length and clarity.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: How do you define medical education technology?
Dr. Goel: Medical education technology currently falls under two camps: one is the training of skills that are relevant to the operating room, and number two is the safe and effective understanding of medical devices. The combination of both is what I do, at least in orthopedic surgery.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: Do you see the use of this technology in creating programs for university students and continuing education for professionals, or do you see them leveraged more in one area?
Dr. Goel: I see them aligning with both. Medical education technology can take many forms from active to didactic learning through either textbooks or video, and even to something that’s much more interactive through simulation or patient experiences. Specifically, with the technology piece, that can be defined as both active and passive learning. Passive learning would be when someone is speaking to you, or you’re watching a video, whereas active learning is more interactive. And that can be both digital or live or extended or augmented reality.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What are critical factors in the design and implementation of medical education? And how can emerging technologies be used to supplement this?
Dr. Goel: The critical factors to design medical education rest on understanding what’s referred to as the “task analysis” or the learning objectives. I think that forms the foundation of how you would design the medical education curriculum you’re implementing in an immersive technology…
So, standalone technology to educate people is valuable, but it’s much more effective if it’s aligned with a curriculum that outlines what the learning objectives are, and when you’ve actually achieved those learning objectives through immersive education.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What medical education technology has impressed you, and how is it advancing the medical field?
Dr. Goel: I’ve been impressed with immersive virtual reality. To summarize, it’s an interactive, three-dimensional environment that allows one to evaluate themselves and make decisions in a very safe and effective environment. Not only is it safe and effective, but it leads to a much deeper level of learning, which allows one to accelerate their learning curve. And so for me, virtual reality has been the most impressive technology in the medical education space today.
I have lots of experience with the Ocular Meta Quest headset. Several things have happened over the last several years, which include that the hardware has become less expensive and more mobile and accessible. Historically, it involved the use of a large headset that weighed a lot and was attached to a computer. That’s become untethered. And the user experience continues to evolve and get better in the Meta Quest headset.
I also have experience with Microsoft HoloLens. That’s more on the augmented reality or mixed reality side. That continues to enhance its user experience as well.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: How can these tools benefit students and teachers compared to traditional educational experiences?
Dr. Goel: I think from an educator’s perspective, it affords me the opportunity to have much more elevated levels of conversation with the learner on their experience in a virtual environment. Number two, it personalizes the education for the learner, which means that the educator can really hone in on both the strengths and the weaknesses of the learner.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: Are there any limitations, barriers, or drawbacks of which to be aware?
Dr. Goel: I think that one of the drawbacks is just the ubiquity of the hardware access, meaning that not everybody has access to the hardware yet. Number two is it still requires ongoing education…And I think that one of the third challenges I see with virtual reality or XR, in general, is describing the experience to somebody versus actually having the experience.
Unless you actually get into an XR environment and get to use or appreciate the actual value that can bring, especially in the healthcare industry, it can be difficult to understand its potential.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: In what fields of medicine do you see this educational technology as having the most potential to help advance the field of practice immediately and over the coming years?
Dr. Goel: In medicine, the immediate application would be in the surgical space, because there is a lot of activity and decisions that we make during surgery that one is not able to make when they’re in training. This affords students and professionals an opportunity to practice the entire procedure, make decisions, and learn from those decisions in a safe environment while making mistakes with no patient at risk.
And with that, I think that it will accelerate people’s learning to the point where they’re much better prepared at the end of their training to become practicing physicians.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: Do you have any advice for schools, organizations, or medical professionals seeking to leverage these technologies?
Dr. Goel: Seeking software products that are founded in education—whether it be adult or child education—is a foundational piece. Number two is high-quality evidence that the platform supports that learning methodology. The third is [ensuring] that these organizations have created curriculums to support and supplement the integration of these solutions within their programs. And across my work, we’ve done all three.
