Virtual Reality-Based Simulation Versus High-Fidelity Simulation for Emergency Management Training in Medical Interns

A Randomized Controlled Study Comparing Virtual Reality-Based Simulation With High-fidelity Simulation for Training Novice Physicians in Emergency Management

This study is a two-arm parallel randomized controlled non-inferiority trial designed to compare the educational effectiveness of virtual reality (VR)-based simulation with high-fidelity simulation (HFS) for emergency management training in medical interns.

Participants will be randomized 1:1 to either VR-based training or HFS-based training for managing desaturation and anaphylaxis scenarios. After training and structured debriefing, all participants will undergo objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and complete pre- and post-training surveys.

The primary outcome is OSCE performance score. Secondary outcomes include confidence improvement, participant satisfaction, usability (UEQ-S).

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Hypoxia; Anaphylaxis
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Virtual Reality-Based Emergency Simulation; Behavioral: High-Fidelity Simulation

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 124
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• South Korea
  • Seoul
    • Seoul, Seoul, South Korea, 03080
      • Seoul National University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria

• Medical interns enrolled in the 2026 internship program at Seoul National University Hospital
• Provided written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Did not complete pre-training survey
• Declined participation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: VR Group; Participants use an immersive VR platform to manage simulated patients with oxygen desaturation and anaphylaxis.	Behavioral: Virtual Reality-Based Emergency Simulation; Participants use an immersive VR platform to manage simulated patients with oxygen desaturation and anaphylaxis.
Active Comparator: HFS Group; Participants use a high-fidelity simulator (Sim-Man) to manage the same emergency scenarios.	Behavioral: High-Fidelity Simulation; Participants use a high-fidelity simulator (Sim-Man) to manage the same emergency scenarios.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
OSCE Performance Score	Mean total score of two Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) stations (desaturation and anaphylaxis). Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating better clinical performance.	Immediately after training

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Confidence Improvement	Self-reported confidence in emergency management measured using a 10-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater confidence.	Immediately before and immediately after training
Participant Satisfaction	Participant satisfaction measured using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.	Immediately after training
Usability (UEQ-S)	Usability assessed using the User Experience Questionnaire-Short Version (UEQ-S). Scores range from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating a more positive user experience.	Immediately after training

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Task Completion Time	Time required to complete VR emergency scenarios, measured in seconds.	Immediately after training
Critical Action Completion Rate	Percentage of predefined critical actions successfully completed during VR scenarios.	Immediately after training
Task Sequence Accuracy	Accuracy of procedural task sequence during VR emergency scenarios based on predefined scenario flow.	Immediately after training

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Seoul National University Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Sun Jung Myung, Seoul National University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 20, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 7, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 7, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Virtual Reality; Medical Education; Anaphylaxis; OSCE; Desaturation; High-Fidelity Simulation; Simulation-Based Education; Emergency Training
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Immune System Diseases; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Hypersensitivity; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Hypoxia; Anaphylaxis
• Other Study ID Numbers: C-2602-161-1723

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No