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Chirurgenausbildung: Die Realität der Zukunft ist virtuell

Article Summary

Januar 8, 2019

In This Article:

Preoperative Planning

Ausbildung zum Chirurgen

Chirurgenausbildung is a significant undertaking for both the learner and the teacher. To first do no harm, trainees spend countless hours learning to become competent and safe. The means to this end however has significant limitations. The cliché of see one, do one, teach one grossly oversimplifies the acquisition of a surgeon’s skill, is actually unethical and requires elaboration.

Arbeitszeiten von Residenten: Schauen wir auf die richtigen Metriken?

Residenzausbildung can be divided into two separate skills. Book smarts and technical ability. These are not mutually exclusive and require exposure to lectures and the operating room. Although residency work hours have changed in North America and Europe, the challenge among educators has always been the same. How to increase a trainee’s chirurgische Exposition, ihnen Unabhängigkeit im Operationssaal zu ermöglichen und ihr Selbstvertrauen aufzubauen, ohne die Patientenversorgung zu beeinträchtigen?

Einen sehen, einen machen, einen lehren, minimiert die Kunst des Erlernens der Chirurgie grob. Chirurgie ist wie jede Aktivität eine Kombination aus geistigem und körperlichem Ausdruck. Die Verwendung von Leichen und Sägeknochen ist, obwohl begrenzt, das genaue Modell, das einer kritischen Bewertung bedarf. Wie viel mentale Vorbereitung in die Verwendung eines Sägeknochens zum Erlernen der Operation gehört. Ist es vergleichbar mit einem Besenstiel, um Ihren Golfschwung zu üben? Bleibt also die Frage, wie wird man Experte in unserem aktuellen Ausbildungsmodell?

How should we learn in 2018? We can’t all be experts, or can we?

Erfahrene Chirurgen

Zu den charakteristischen Merkmalen eines Chirurgenexperten gehört eine verfeinerte klinische Entscheidungsfähigkeit mit einem erlernten technischen Niveau. Ihr Fachwissen wurde durch das Fallvolumen und die aus diesen Verfahren gewonnenen Erkenntnisse entwickelt. Jeder Fehler wurde zu einem kritischen Lernpunkt, der sie besser, erfahrener und schließlich zu Experten machte. Diese Art des Lernens ist von zentraler Bedeutung für die Arbeit des Psychologen Anders Ericsson. Die Verbesserung der Leistung in Richtung Expertise wird durch sorgfältige Selbstbewertung und Wiederholung erreicht, die als „bewusste Praxis“ bezeichnet wird. Wie wird dann der Chirurgen-Azubi zum technischen Experten? Die Erhöhung des Volumens ist ein gut dokumentierter Ansatz zur Verbesserung der Leistung. Alle Beteiligten sind daran interessiert, dieses Problem mit Kursangeboten direkt anzugehen. Ziel ist es, Komplikationen zu minimieren. Aber wie vermeiden Sie Komplikationen, wenn Sie nicht wissen, was Sie tun müssen, um sie zu verursachen? Ist es eine Handbewegung, ein verlegter Retraktor? Fehler zu machen, die mit Reflexion, Überlegung und anschließender „Wiederholung“ verbunden sind, bietet das wirksamste Mittel zur Verbesserung der technischen Leistung. Aber wo oder an wem sollen wir diese Fähigkeiten üben? Wie sollen wir 2018 lernen? Wir können nicht alle Experten sein, oder doch?

Virtuelle Realität kann ein Medium sein, mit dem Chirurgen und Auszubildende ihre chirurgischen Fähigkeiten verbessern können

„Bewusstes“ Üben macht den Meister

Mit der Gründung von virtuelle Realität (VR) und der Einführung immersiver Technologien in der Medizin herrscht eine unglaubliche Begeisterung für das Potenzial, die obige(n) Frage(n) zu beantworten. Wenn wir virtuelle Operationen durchführen, sind wir vielleicht alle Experten. Virtuelle Realität kann ein Medium darstellen, mit dem Chirurgen und Auszubildende ihre chirurgischen Fähigkeiten verbessern, Entscheidungen treffen und ihre Ergebnisse realisieren können, während sie eine beträchtliche Anzahl virtueller Fälle durchführen. Obwohl die virtuelle Realität für viel Aufregung gesorgt hat, muss man mit Vorsicht vorgehen. Um eine fehlgeleitete Einführung dieser wertvollen Technologie zu vermeiden, müssen Interessenvertreter dieses Tool mit einem durchdachten und rücksichtsvollen Ansatz bewerten, um unseren Benutzern und letztendlich unseren Patienten den größten Nutzen zu bieten. Es gibt eine echte Möglichkeit, die Erfahrungskurve für alle Arten von Verfahren zu „biegen“. Um virtuelle Fehler zuzulassen, Provokation zulassen und wiederholen. In größerem Maßstab sind die Auswirkungen auf das Gesundheitssystem und das Potenzial für eine wertorientierte Versorgung möglicherweise in Reichweite. Mit einem patientenzentrierten Ansatz können Chirurgen die Ergebnisse wirklich verbessern, wenn eine durchdachte und sorgfältig überlegte Einführung dieser leistungsstarken Technologie implementiert wird. Sich einfach auf den Teil des Lernens zu konzentrieren, wäre eine Katastrophe, wenn diese potenziell „bahnbrechende“ Technologie genutzt würde. Ein achtsamer, evidenzbasierter, wirklich validierter und rücksichtsvoller Ansatz wird für alle Interessengruppen wichtig sein, die daran interessiert sind, unseren aktuellen Stand der Dinge zu verbessern.

Chirurgie ist wie jede Aktivität eine Kombination aus geistigem und körperlichem Ausdruck.

Lerne aus deinen Fehlern

Der Dalai Lama erinnert uns daran, dass die Zeit des größten Gewinns an Weisheit und innerer Stärke oft die der größten Schwierigkeiten ist. Unsere Benutzer in der virtuellen Realität herauszufordern, einen Gedanken zu formulieren, eine Entscheidung zu treffen und das Ergebnis dieser Entscheidung zu realisieren, bietet nicht nur die größte Wirkung für chirurgische Auszubildende, sondern auch für den Erwerb von Fähigkeiten in jedem Bereich. Es kann sein, dass wir uns in einer Ära der immersiven Technologie befinden, die ein dem Operationssaal ähnliches Medium bietet. Das Potenzial, dem Lernenden die Möglichkeit zu geben, aus seinen Fehlern zu lernen, seine Leistung zu objektivieren und den Schaden für den Patienten zu minimieren, könnte näher liegen, als wir denken.

Dr. Danny P. Goel ist CEO und Mitbegründer von Precision OS Technology und Clinical Associate Professor an der UBC Department of Orthopedic Surgery

Über Precision OS-Technologie

Precision OS Technology ist ein Softwareunternehmen, das mit seinen High-Fidelity-VR-Softwareplattformen einen positiven Einfluss auf die orthopädische Chirurgie hat. Unser Fokus auf die kritischen Elemente von Chirurgie, Haptik und metrischem Feedback sorgt für ein beispielloses Bildungserlebnis. Außerdem ist unser präoperatives Planungstool eliminiert das mit der Frakturversorgung verbundene Trial-and-Error-Verfahren durch eine immersive Interaktion mit Patientenbildern.

Weitere Informationen zur Precision OS-Technologie finden Sie auf unserer Website www.precisionostech.com/oder mailen Sie uns an info@precisionostech.com

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Über PrecisionOS

PrecisionOS is a leader in virtual reality-enabled surgical education. Trusted by top academic medical centers, health systems, and professional societies worldwide, the company delivers an immersive, scalable training ecosystem designed by surgeons for residents and the next generation of healthcare professionals. By combining high-fidelity VR cadaver labs with on-the-go access via the Approaches mobile module and AI-driven performance reporting, PrecisionOS ensures surgeons are ready for the OR, today.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Is there a step-by-step "Quick Start" guide for residents?

Yes—The Onboarding Course is your fastest path to proficiency. It walks you through account syncing, procedure selection, and your first virtual rehearsal step-by-step, ensuring you are “OR Ready” before you pick up the controllers.

Action: Follow the guided video path to standardize your learning experience.

Yes. PrecisionOS is compatible with Meta Quest 3, and 3s. If you already own a headset, you simply need to download the PrecisionOS Launcher from the App Store and sign in with your institution email and membership credentials.

Action: Download the launcher and log in.

Your Individual Membership is a month-to-month subscription ($99/mo) designed for residents who want 24/7 access to surgical rehearsal without a long-term contract.  Reach out for information about an institutional membership.

Action: Your card is billed every 30 days from the date of signup.

Hospital networks will often require a MAC address for device white-listing. You can find this in your Meta Quest headset settings under About > MAC Address.

Action: Reach out to provide your IT department with the MAC address found in your headset settings.

Both the headset firmware and the PrecisionOS app must be up to date to prevent technical glitches. Go to Settings > Software Update on your Quest and check the Launcher for app updates.

Action: Enable “Auto-updates” in your headset settings.

About The Author

Bild von Danny P. Goel, MD

Danny P. Goel, MD

Is the CEO of PrecisionOS and is a practicing surgeon and surgical educator. Dr. Goel currently practices in the Vancouver, B.C. area and also serves on the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

He received his medical degree from the University of Manitoba, pursued his residency training in orthopedic surgery at the University of Calgary, and completed fellowship training in shoulder surgery at the University of Western Ontario and Harvard University.

Goel has co-authored more than 30 publications, and is widely sought as a presenter on surgical techniques.

21 Months of Automated VR Data

MAJOR ACADEMIC ORTHOPAEDIC RESIDENCY PROGRAM

How self-directed VR practice fills the seams of the clinical day and produces measurable learning trajectories—completely automatically.

Executive Summary:

Over a 21-month period, 30 orthopaedic residents integrated immersive VR into their training curriculum. With a simple, weekly requirement for residents to practice in headset, the platform seamlessly captured over 88,000 structured data points across 2,566 practice sessions. The resulting data proved that when residents have access to high-fidelity, frictionless simulation and are motivated, they will hone their skills and demonstrate clear performance improvements.

Frictionless Adoption: Practice doesn't compete with clinical time. The data revealed that 45% of all sessions happened organically during lunch breaks or on weekends.

Comprehensive Coverage: Usage wasn't limited to a single subspecialty. Residents attempted 61 distinct cases across 27 procedure modules, proving active engagement from Foundations & Anatomy to Complex Trauma.

Measurable Improvement: The platform didn't just track usage; it tracked skill acquisition. Across 288 scored playthroughs, longitudinal data showed a clear performance signal, with residents demonstrating an average positive learning delta of +0.36 over time.

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Step #2

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Step #3

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Step #4

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Step #4

Practice With A Plan

Go through the recommended VR apps to gain the skills and repetition needed for success. 

Step #5

Review Performance Insights

After your VR session, review your personalized performance insight on your phone to maximine your OR success. 

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Dr. Andrew Maeso

Orthopedic resident

From Uncertainty to Execution

“You already have a plan, now you’re just executing it.”

The Story: Bridging the "Intern Gap"

Dr. Andrew Maeso recognizes the steep reality of residency: “As an intern, you are thrown into the fire.” For him, the hurdle wasn’t just the surgery—it was the invisible mechanics (positioning, X-ray angles, and workflow) that move too fast to learn in a high-pressure OR.

The Solution: Access Over Policy

By bringing the PrecisionOS ecosystem home, Dr. Maeso replaced passive YouTube watching with active mental rehearsal. This allowed him to arrive in the OR with the “steps” already hard-coded into his muscle memory.

The Game Changer: Personal headsets issued for at-home, 24/7 training.

Clinical Focus: Mastery of Antegrade Femoral Nails and Shoulder Arthroscopy.

Program Growth: Experience led to secured funding for all incoming residents.

Smiling man wearing glasses and checkered shirt in an office setting.

Roberto Oliveira

Founder

Over his 25 years in the gaming industry, Roberto Oliveira has been known for bringing stunning realism and high fidelity to interactive experiences.

He combines an art director’s artistic vision with solid business leadership, including experience in building art teams, creative team management, project planning, project management and business development.

Over the years, his talents have been showcased in projects for major publishers including Sony, Activision, Disney and Electronic Arts.

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Dr. Ryan Lohre

MGH Staff Surgeon

From Resident to MGH Staff Surgeon

“Prepare like it matters. Because in the OR—it does.”

The Story: The Currency of Trust

Dr. Ryan Lohre’s trajectory changed during a complex pediatric case that had already seen two failed attempts by tenured surgeons. While textbooks offered the theory, Dr. Lohre used VR to master the 3D spatial intelligence required to build a mental model of the deformity and navigate C-arm imagery in real-time.

The Solution: The 18-Minute Sandbox

The night before surgery, Dr. Lohre rehearsed the procedure four times in VR from his own home. This high-fidelity rehearsal allowed him to arrive in the OR functioning at 80-90% proficiency, compared to the typical 10-20% for a resident facing a new, complex procedure.

The Game Changer: 18 minutes of at-home VR prep for a complex pediatric case.

Clinical Focus: Spatial intelligence for C-arm interpretation and screw trajectory.

Program Growth: Transitioned from trainee to Staff Surgeon at Mass General.

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Dr. Barry McDonough

Program Director

Teaching with Surgical Efficiency

“I let the junior resident do more than ever before—and still finished on time.”

The Story: Reclaiming the OR

While at West Virginia University (WVU), Dr. Barry McDonough faced a universal challenge: balancing resident education with strict OR efficiency. By the time residents step into the OR, foundational skills like camera handling and triangulation should be second nature—not a distraction that slows down the case.

The Solution: Independent Preparation

Residents were assigned just 10 minutes of asynchronous VR training per week. This allowed them to master the “invisible” basics of arthroscopy on their own time. With an average of 17 sessions completed during the pilot, residents arrived with a mental roadmap that translated into immediate technical fluency.

The Game Changer: Asynchronous prep—residents train independently at home.

Clinical Focus: Mastery of triangulation, scope control, and anchor placement.

Program Growth: Model expanded across trauma, spine, and upper extremity.

Man in blue suit with glasses smiling in front of bookshelf.

Dr. Charlie Spieser

Orthopedic Resident

Mastering the Visuo-Spatial Gap

“VR practice shifts questioning from case generalizations to technique refinement.”

The Story: From Application to Confidence

Charlie Spieser highlights a universal resident hurdle: the high-stress transition from “book knowledge” to real-world execution. Early in training, the fear of making irreversible decisions can lead to hesitation. To bridge this gap, Charlie utilized VR as a daily resource for kinetic learning and anatomical association.

The Solution: Refining Spatial Intelligence

Unlike textbooks or passive videos, PrecisionOS allowed Charlie to practice high-stakes approaches—such as the anterior total hip—in a guided, 3D environment. This repetition provided a “safe sandbox” to identify why errors occurred, building the visuo-spatial confidence required to navigate complex anatomy before ever entering the OR.

The Game Changer: Daily Integration—normalized as an expected program resource.

Clinical Focus: Anterior Total Hip and Deltopectoral surgical approaches.

Program Growth: Nuanced Mentorship—shifting focus to specific faculty preferences.

Orthopaedic virtual reality training for junior residents in surgery.

Immersive Virtual Reality Training for a Junior Orthopaedic Surgery Resident

Andres D Maeso, DO, Michael R McDermott, DO, Jerrod A Steimle, DO

How consistent iVR training accelerates technical fluency and attending trust for first-year residents.

Executive Summary: This case study follows a first-year resident’s integration of immersive VR (iVR) into their surgical curriculum. By dedicating consistent training time to virtual modules, the resident was able to master procedural steps and receive real-time feedback in a risk-free environment before ever stepping into the operating room. The study highlights that this deliberate practice led to a “noticeable improvement in overall efficiency” and significantly increased the attending’s trust and confidence in the resident’s intraoperative capabilities.

Source Attribution: Immersive Virtual Reality Training for a Junior Orthopaedic Surgery Resident, Journal of Orthopaedic Experience & Innovation (2025).

Muscle Memory Development: The repetitive nature of immersive VR (iVR) training, combined with constant real-time feedback, allows technical surgical steps to become deep-seated muscle memory.

Measurable Efficiency Gains: Residents utilizing the platform observe a "noticeable improvement" in overall efficiency and technical proficiency when performing complex orthopedic procedures.

Accelerated Attending Trust: Preoperative rehearsal in a virtual environment significantly increases attending surgeon confidence, directly leading to increased autonomy for the resident in the operating room.

Professional man in business attire for PrecisionOS.

Danny P. Goel, MD

Geschäftsführer

A practicing surgeon and surgical educator, Dr. Goel currently practices in the Vancouver, B.C. area and also serves on the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

He received his medical degree from the University of Manitoba, pursued his residency training in orthopedic surgery at the University of Calgary, and completed fellowship training in shoulder surgery at the University of Western Ontario and Harvard University.

Goel has co-authored more than 30 publications, and is widely sought as a presenter on surgical techniques.

Professional man smiling in a blue shirt for PrecisionOS About Us page.

Colin O'Connor

Founder

Colin O’Connor brings a proven track record as a business leader and entrepreneur, as well as expertise at developing cutting-edge technology to create immersive, high-fidelity experiences.

He has overseen and played key leadership roles in the highest echelons of the video game industry, founding companies and taking more than 16 top-tier titles to market.

He has worked at the forefront in innovating new rendering technologies in the areas of lighting, motion, particle graphics and shading that bring unprecedented realism to interactive experiences.

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