Extended reality, AI can change health professions education

In an era of rapid technological advancement and the adoption of digital transformation to streamline our educational processes, health professions education (HPE) is at a crossroads. While digital transformation has revolutionised many sectors, the adoption of cutting-edge technologies in HPE in Southern Africa has been slow.

This ongoing transformation presents both exciting opportunities and challenges for higher education institutions as they continue to strengthen their pedagogical approach to the teaching and training of healthcare professionals.

Traditional methods of teaching, while still valuable, are becoming increasingly insufficient as the sole teaching practice. These methods are being complemented by innovative approaches to better prepare students for a technology-driven world of work.

However, many tertiary institutions have been approaching artificial intelligence-enhanced tools with much trepidation, fear, curiosity and mixed emotions due to challenges regarding academic integrity and the inability of educators to detect academic dishonesty in students’ work, despite the accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI) detection tools.

This shows that the use of some tools may offer the best opportunities, but also the worst and most wicked challenges in higher education. However, what cannot be disputed is the potential use of AI in the sector and how this is linked to effective learning and teaching in the HPE classroom.

In addition, the innovations align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for good health and well-being (SDG 3) and quality education (SDG 4) in a world where the landscape of healthcare is evolving due to AI technologies, robotics and extended reality (XR).

Extended reality is an umbrella term that covers virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). When using extended reality technologies, an individual is immersed in a virtual environment where they can use their senses to interact with a virtual environment.

Virtual reality is immersive, in which the user dons a headset and interacts with an entirely computer-generated environment, such as a simulation of dissecting a human body. Augmented reality uses a headset or a smartphone to overlay images or other content onto the physical world and layers information over physical spaces and objects.

Currently, in education, mixed reality is the emerging environment of online and offline worlds where digital and physical objects coexist. It is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of technologies, including augmented reality and virtual reality.

A novel approach to teaching and learning

Extended reality is still currently viewed as a novel approach to learning and teaching in higher education while, at the same time, traditional learning spaces in HPE require tremendous input to ensure the integration of clinical competencies.

The use of extended reality in HPE has the potential to provide quality content generation and learning opportunities for students and staff in HPE spaces. While some industries have been quick to adopt and use XR technologies, the implementation of XR in HPE has not been well documented.

Universities and health professions educators are now being challenged to keep pace by updating their education provision in the classroom. It is no longer about teaching new technologies; it is about preparing the next generation of healthcare workers to thrive in the digital world.

To address some of the tensions regarding the use of innovative technologies, a few key insights into the application and integration of XR and AI in HPE have been proposed:

• Enhanced Quality Education: Extended reality can provide high-resolution, interactive learning experiences at lower costs.

• Advanced Simulation and Training: Students can practise clinical skills in risk-free virtual environments.

• Personalised Learning: AI can adapt to individual learning styles and needs.

• Improved Patient Education: Interactive materials can help patients better understand medical procedures.

• Diverse Assessment Methods: New technologies can help create more varied evaluations which uphold academic integrity.

• Faster, More Accurate Diagnoses: AI can assist clinicians in making quicker, more precise diagnoses.

• Increased Patient-Interaction Time: AI can handle administrative tasks, allowing more face-to-face patient care.

• Efficient Electronic Health Records: AI-powered systems can streamline record-keeping and identify patterns in patient data.

• Effective Patient Triage: In resource-limited settings, AI can help prioritise patient care.

• Healthcare Democratisation: Patients can be empowered to take greater responsibility for their own health through AI-assisted knowledge systems.

Far-reaching implications for learning and teaching

The integration of extended reality and AI may have far-reaching implications for the teaching, learning and assessment of students as they may become more engaged in the learning due to the personalised nature of the learning experience. Furthermore, these technologies allow them to practise complex procedures in virtual environments, thereby reducing risk to real patients while still gaining valuable skills.

For educators, these technologies offer new ways to deliver content, assess student performance, and stay current with rapidly evolving medical practices. However, educators who train health sciences students are primarily medical practitioners who have found innovative ways to present content, assess students and keep abreast of developments in the field.

At the same time, they are required to develop a new set of technological skills which, despite the additional demand on their professional expertise, they are able to develop across a wide range of clinical scenarios in the classroom. These scenarios bridge the gap between theory and practice to improve the competency and confidence of students in healthcare training.

This technological shift emphasises the need for institutional support and professional development programmes to assist health professions educators in effectively integrating these tools into their teaching practices. It is not only beneficial to the higher education sector, but also to patients if future healthcare workers are training with these technologies, as they would be better equipped to provide accurate diagnosis, improved communication and effective treatment. The potential of AI to handle administrative tasks could lead to more quality time between healthcare providers and their patients.

From a broader perspective, perhaps these advances could address many of the challenges facing the healthcare system in Southern Africa, such as limited resources and unequal access to quality healthcare. By leveraging extended reality and AI, higher education institutions could train more students more efficiently and effectively and, in doing so, they may help meet the region’s demand for healthcare professionals.

Looking ahead

So, what do we need to do to meet this optimistic future?

The potential benefits are significant, but implementing extended reality and AI in HPE is not without challenges. In addressing the technological gaps in expertise among educators, it is important to invest in support and professional development opportunities so that they can effectively incorporate new tools into their teaching.

We also need to be mindful of ethical and responsible use of AI in healthcare, especially regarding patient confidentiality and privacy. As sophisticated as some AI tools have become, educators need to create evaluation techniques that accurately measure student understanding while enhancing academic integrity.

This call to reshape and transform HPE does not mean traditional methods should be replaced entirely. Instead, these technologies should be used to augment and enhance the current pedagogical practices. Furthermore, this augmentation requires educators to be aware of biases using technologies such as AI, as this may exacerbate health disparities. Therefore, educational institutions, healthcare providers, technology developers and policymakers should collaborate to effectively implement technologies in HPE.

Looking ahead, universities can take the lead by adopting extended reality and AI in their HPE programmes thoughtfully, critically and ethically. The path forward may be challenging due to digital divides and resource implications in the sector, but the potential of having more skilled healthcare professionals, improved patient healthcare and a more resilient healthcare system, may make the journey well worth the undertaking.

Professor Simone Titus-Dawson is affiliated with the department of health professions education in the faculty of medicine and health sciences at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. This piece is an adapted version of her article ‘Implementing extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI) in health professions education in Southern Africa’, published recently in the African Journal of Health Professions Education.