Per year More than 20,000 students graduated from American medical schools. But despite the years and jaw-dropping funds invested in their training, research shows that thousands of these young doctors felt ill-prepared for the severe test of the medical profession when they left university.
Feelings of “underpreparation” can range from perceived skills shortages to lack of confidence. Residents who report this feeling are also more likely to report symptoms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and burnout. It is no coincidence that during the residency training period, 28% of doctors experience a major depressive episode (compared to only 7-8% of non-doctor counterparts).
During my own surgeon training, I saw many of my peers struggle with chronic stress and anxiety. But treating the symptoms of poor mental health among doctors is not a sustainable and independent solution. It is time for us to acknowledge that insufficient training is the root cause of the medical mental health crisis-this crisis will only be exacerbated by the pandemic-and that wise and forward-looking solutions are required.
Outdated training costs life
Despite the rapid technology-driven advances in medical practice, the main method of teaching future doctors has not changed for decades. Students should read textbooks, listen to lectures, watch demonstrations, and—if they are lucky—occasionally participate in practical courses with real patients.
However, reviewing only through reading and listening often leads to very bad factual recall.This Causes anxiety and stress during exam season, Which in turn can cause memory impairment and interfere with learning and information retention.
In contrast, repeated real-world exercises are very effective in increasing learners’ confidence, reducing their stress levels, and minimizing the possibility of (potentially life-threatening) errors. However, because hospitals are busier than ever, it is increasingly difficult for trainees to obtain the low-risk, on-demand practice opportunities they urgently need.
Virtual solutions with real-world impact
Immersive reality technologies (including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)) have proven to have the potential as a scalable training tool for medical staff. VR/AR technology can be accessed through a headset, computer or mobile phone, combining digital content with the physical environment, enabling learners to participate in a completely virtual or “hybrid” reality.
Because it allows learning in a realistic way, recreating the real world and difficult-to-access environments, immersive training is unparalleled as a medical training tool.learn proved This technology helps improve learner performance, reduce the time required to provide training, reduce skill decline and increase learner confidence.
For example, doctors who want to practice particularly rare surgical procedures can use the AR platform to perfect their skills before entering the operating room. This is almost an immersion therapy: practicing a process repeatedly means that when we appear in real life, we will be better prepared. After practicing in VR or AR, medical staff can access detailed data insights about their performance and identify any areas for improvement before practicing again.
A medical student who is anxious about communicating bad news to a patient can also improve their confidence through immersive interactive technology. For example, some medical schools have deployed “virtual humans” with built-in natural language processing and computer vision AI to help doctors learn how to communicate with patients more effectively.
Training that puts the well-being of learners first
Facing the worsening mental health crisis of doctors and the global pandemic, American schools and hospitals have a unique responsibility: to take the lead in developing medical education centered on the well-being of learners.
This year has shown that becoming a doctor is no longer just about skills: it is about resilience, endurance, empathy, flexibility and teamwork. The way we educate medical staff needs to reflect this new reality; and prepare medical staff for the countless challenges and pressures they will face.
The technology to achieve this goal already exists and is being used in a limited range. But now exceptions must become the norm. For a long time, we have been ignoring the impact of untimely training programs on the mental health of doctors on which the country depends. Just enough; let us introduce modern medical practices and modern training methods that modern doctors deserve.
Photo: PeopleImages, Getty Images
