Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Oct 13, 2025
Date Accepted: Jun 5, 2026
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Trainee Perceptions of Integrating Virtual Reality–Based Simulation Into Postgraduate Paediatric Critical Care Training: Mixed Methods Study in London
ABSTRACT
Background:
Simulation-based training has established itself as integral to clinical education, and innovations incorporating virtual reality (VR) are rapidly gaining traction as the next evolution in experiential learning. VR-simulation has emerged as an alternative in undergraduate education, yet its role in postgraduate paediatric training remains underexplored.
Objective:
To address this gap, this study explored how VR-based simulation could complement existing training methods, enhance preparedness for managing critically-ill children, and guide future curriculum development, drawing on the perspectives of London-based paediatric trainees.
Methods:
A mixed-methods study was conducted among paediatric trainees across all training levels within the London deanery (April–July 2024) using a 35-item online questionnaire (Likert-scale, categorical, and open-ended questions) and virtual semi-structured interviews, exploring current training practices, VR-familiarity/experience, and perceived benefits, limitations, and barriers to adoption.
Results:
30 trainees participated (43% male, 53% female, 3% non-binary), spanning ages 23–40 years with 0.5–8 years of clinical experience. Clinical experience and simulation training were identified as essential for developing skills in managing paediatric emergencies. Around 70% of trainees had no prior VR-exposure in a medical setting, while 17%—mainly junior trainees—had used VR-training and all reported positive experiences. Key barriers to VR-adoption included high costs, limited awareness, and insufficient stakeholder support, which participants felt could be addressed through taster sessions, faculty advocacy, and early engagement.
Conclusions:
Despite limited exposure, paediatric trainees viewed VR-simulation as a valuable adjunct to existing training, particularly for early training stages.
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