Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics
Enhancing healthcare training through Virtual and Augmented Reality: a meta-review
Abstract
The rapid development of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has increased their use in healthcare education and professional training.This meta-review synthesised systematic reviews published between 2015 and 2025 on the effectiveness of VR and AR in training healthcare professionals. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and ten reviews met the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using AMSTAR 2. Overall, VR and AR supported technical and non-technical skills, including clinical procedures, communication, teamwork, decision-making, empathy, and stress management. They were also associated with greater engagement, knowledge retention, self-confidence, and reduced anxiety. However, methodological heterogeneity, limited longitudinal evidence, and reliance on self-reported outcomes remain key limitations. Further longitudinal studies are needed to assess long-term learning transfer and clinical impact.
Keywords
References
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.32043/gsd.v10i3.1972
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Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics
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