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VR-Live Hybrid Neurosurgery Clerkship:Boosting Neurosurgical Presence & Decisions

NCT07304570 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 112

Last updated 2025-12-26

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial was to learn whether a hybrid telemedicine curriculum that combines virtual-reality (VR) simulation with interactive live-streamed neurosurgical cases improves neurosurgical intentionality and clinical decision-making in fourth-year medical students whose clerkships were disrupted by COVID-19. It also assessed technical skills, theoretical knowledge, and student experience. The main questions it aimed to answer were:

Does the 4-week hybrid model (VR + live cases) produce greater gains in neurosurgical intentionality and decision-making than traditional online videos and readings? Does the hybrid model improve VR technical skill performance and student satisfaction without harming theoretical knowledge? Researchers randomized 112 students 1:1 to the hybrid intervention (15 h VR neuroanatomy/procedures + 20 h live-streamed surgeries/ICU rounds + real-time Q\&A) or a time-matched control group (pre-recorded videos, textbook readings, asynchronous forums).

Participants in both groups:

Completed 40 hours of remote content over 4 weeks Were tested at baseline and post-course on intentionality (modified Zwisch scale), decision-making (neurosurgery-specific SCT), 50-item MCQ knowledge, and VR proficiency metrics Joined focus groups and rated satisfaction on a 5-point Likert scale

Conditions

  • Virtual Reality
  • Telemedicine

Interventions

OTHER

VR Simulation (15 hours)+Live-Streamed Neurosurgical Procedures (20 hours)+Live-Streamed Neurocritical Care Rounds (5 hours)

1. VR Simulation (15 hours): Customized modules on the NeuroVR Platform (validated for neurosurgical education): * Neuroanatomy (5 hours): 3D interactive models of cerebral cortex, brainstem, cranial nerves, and spinal cord (with vascular/meningeal overlays). * Procedural skills (10 hours): Craniotomy basics, ventriculostomy, lumbar puncture, and spine decompression-with real-time feedback on instrument handling and anatomical precision. 2. Live-Streamed Neurosurgical Procedures (20 hours): 18 diverse cases (brain tumor resection \[n=6\], spine fusion \[n=5\], aneurysm clipping \[n=3\], epilepsy surgery \[n=4\]) via HIPAA-compliant Zoom for Healthcare. Each session included: * Pre-procedure briefing (anatomical landmarks, surgical goals). * Intraoperative expert commentary (neurosurgeon + neuroanesthesiologist). * Real-time Q\&A (focused on neurocritical decision-making: e.g., "How do you adjust resection for eloquent cortex mapping?"). 3. Live-Streamed Neurocritical Care Rounds (5 hours): Week

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • West China Hospital

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-03-01
Primary Completion
2024-04-30
Completion
2024-12-01

Countries

  • China

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07304570 on ClinicalTrials.gov