Advanced Methods of Augmented Reality in Surgical Skills Training in Higher Medical Education in Ukraine

Abstract

It has been established that augmented reality technologies are an important tool for improving surgical skills training in higher medical education. The study's relevance is due to the need to integrate innovative solutions into higher education to improve the quality of medical training and compliance of the educational process with international standards. It has been determined that augmented reality contributes to the formation of practical competencies of higher education students by creating conditions as close as possible to real surgical interventions, which reduces risks for patients and provides multi-level training.

The study aims to analyse the possibilities of introducing augmented reality technologies into the educational process of medical universities in Ukraine and identify the main problems and prospects for their integration. To achieve this goal, systematic analysis, comparative approach, and generalisation were used, which allowed us to assess the international experience, current state, and potential of using augmented reality in medical education.

It has been found that the advantages of augmented reality include the ability to repeat manipulations multiple times, visualisation of complex anatomical structures and instant feedback during simulations. It has been proven that augmented reality significantly increases spatial thinking, motor skills, and decision-making speed. At the same time, several problems have been identified, including limited access to modern technologies due to the high cost of equipment, lack of unified methods and insufficient technical training of teachers.

Based on the study's results, recommendations are formulated for introducing augmented reality into educational programmes, including developing state funding programmes to provide universities with modern equipment, creating educational materials, and training teaching staff. The author substantiates the need to cooperate with IT companies to create integrated platforms that combine augmented reality with other simulation learning technologies.

Prospects for further research include studying the long-term effectiveness of using augmented reality in medical personnel training, assessing its impact on students' emotional stability and critical thinking, and adapting international experience to the specifics of domestic healthcare education. The results will help to harmonise the Ukrainian medical education system with international standards.