Keywords: virtual reality, therapy, interactive virtual environment, game engines, medical education
VR-simulator for training medical workers in the specialty of "Therapy"
UDC 004.946
DOI: 10.26102/2310-6018/2025.49.2.026
Based on existing research, the need to integrate virtual reality technologies into the educational process of medical university students studying in the specialty "Therapy" is considered. Existing software solutions in the field of educational medicine are analyzed, a shortage of VR simulators focused on the general therapeutic specialty is revealed. The importance of developing a virtual simulator that allows students to practice therapeutic skills in a realistic and safe virtual environment is substantiated. A comparative analysis of modern VR headsets and controllers is carried out, based on which suitable devices for implementing the task are determined: Oculus Quest 2 and Valve Index. Requirements for the technical characteristics of the equipment are formulated and development technologies are selected: the Unity game engine, the XR Interaction Toolkit and OpenXR libraries, as well as software frameworks for creating 3D models and interactive scenes. The process of designing a virtual environment for a therapist's office is described, including the development of 3D models of medical equipment and a virtual patient using the Blender editor. The game scene has been assembled and mechanics of interaction with the environment have been implemented, such as movement, object grabbing, a dialogue system and a results assessment system. The dialogue system has been developed in C# using the .NET Framework platform. It is expected that the introduction of the VR simulator into the educational process will improve the level of training of student therapists, thanks to the development of professional skills in an interactive and safe virtual environment.
1. Molchanova A.A., Osipova I.V., Chechina I.N. Experience of Simulation Technologies Usage by Teaching Students Faculty Therapy. Virtualʹnye tehnologii v medicine. 2019;(1):17–20. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.46594/2687-0037_2019_1_17
2. Orlov Yu.V., Mutigullina A.A. Simulation Training Technology as a New Paradigm of Modern Medical Education. Cardiovascular Therapy and Prevention. 2024;23(4S). (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.15829/1728-8800-2024-4315
3. Makarova O.V. The Analysis of Doctor's Patient-Centered Communication Skills Efficiency. Siberian Journal of Life Sciences and Agriculture. 2020;12(3):108–121. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.12731/2658-6649-2020-12-3-108-121
4. Mnatsakanyan V.V., Malofeev V.A., Chebotareva E.R. Using the Virtual Reality Laboratory in the Educational Process. The Academic Journal of MCU. Series "Informatics and Informatization of Edication". 2023;(3):124–129. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.25688/2072-9014.2023.65.3.12
5. Kolsanov A.V., Gelashvili O.A., Chaplygin S.S., Nazaryan A.K. VR Simulator as an Object of Digital Transformation in a Medical University. Modern Problems of Science and Education. 2021;(6). (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17513/spno.31402
6. Sotnikov A.M., Tychkov A.Yu., Zolotarev R.V., Sazhneva E.D., Nikolaeva M.A. Ispol'zovanie AR i VR v meditsine. Vestnik of Penza State University. 2021;(4):112–116. (In Russ.).
7. Tashkenbaeva E.N., Annaev M., Abdieva G.A. The Impact of the Use of Virtual Reality on the Performance of Students in the Study of Cardiology. Journal of Cardiorespiratory Research. 2022;3(4):69–74. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7366200
8. Shaderkina V.A., Lelyuk A.V., Altunin D.V. Virtual Reality (VR) in Pediatrics: International and Russian Experience. Russian Journal of Telemedicine and E-Health. 2023;9(1):60–71. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.29188/2712-9217-2023-9-1-60-71
9. Roitberg G.E., Sharkhun O.O., Davydova A.Sh. Virtual Reality Technology in Physician Education: Focus on Emergency Medical Care. Cardiovascular Therapy and Prevention. 2022;21(4S). (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.15829/1728-8800-2022-3372
10. Osipov I.A., Feoktistov D.A., Mikhailov K.S., Klyuchikov A.V. Application of Virtual Reality Technologies in Simulation Modeling of Mobile Robots. In: Problemy i perspektivy tsifrovizatsii agropromyshlennogo kompleksa: materialy Mezhdunarodnoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii, 07 December 2023, Saratov, Russia. Saratov: Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering named after N.I. Vavilov; 2023. P. 80–85. (In Russ.).
Keywords: virtual reality, therapy, interactive virtual environment, game engines, medical education
For citation: Kliuchikov A.V., Kuprin M.S., Feoktistov D.A., Mikhailov K.S. VR-simulator for training medical workers in the specialty of "Therapy". Modeling, Optimization and Information Technology. 2025;13(2). URL: https://moitvivt.ru/ru/journal/pdf?id=1850 DOI: 10.26102/2310-6018/2025.49.2.026 (In Russ).
Received 04.04.2025
Revised 12.05.2025
Accepted 21.05.2025