Dr. Lohre never set out to be exceptional. He just wanted to be ready. When he began his residency in
orthopedic surgery, he quickly realized that the operating room (OR) wasn’t just where cases were
done, it was where careers were made. While others may have leaned on research papers or academic accolades, Dr. Lohre focused on something more: preparation using virtual reality surgical training.
He read, he studied, he reviewed anatomy and case reports like everyone else. But what set him apart was how he trained. He leveraged every tool available, including virtual reality surgical training.
Early on, Dr. Lohre discovered that VR allowed him to practice procedures at any time, from anywhere.
He’d return home after call and immerse himself in fracture patterns and surgical sequences, manipulating bone and instruments in a fully interactive 3D space. For him, VR wasn’t just a supplement, it was a sandbox for mastery and a place where he could learn significantly faster compared to any other resource. Although cadavers and a simulator were available at work, his schedule didn’t allow him the time to go back after hours. After long days, he wanted to stay home, and with VR, he could still step into the virtual OR the night before being in the real one.
The defining moment came during his third year of residency. An attending presented a pediatric case of a slipped epiphysis Dr. Lohre had never performed before. This case was unique as it was already
attempted by a tenured surgeon who couldn’t get the cannulated screw in the right place. After two failed attempts, the case was transferred to the Children’s Hospital where Dr. Lohre was on rotation. It was the kind of case most residents would likely assist with at best—or simply observe. But Dr. Lohre had spent the night before going through the exact procedure in VR, not just once, but 4 times, committing every step to memory, building muscle memory for the instruments and screw trajectories and perhaps most important, mastering his 3D spatial intelligence. No one told him to do this, he just wanted to be ready and had this tool with him that could help him prepare more than watching a video or reading a paper.
Little did he know that what he needed most was a skill no textbook could teach: the ability to interpret a C-arm image, mentally reconstruct a 3D model of the deformity, and adjust his guidewire accordingly, which is exactly what he did. He practiced in VR for only 18 minutes! In the OR the next day, he moved confidently, efficiently, and with purpose. His attending, initially surprised, began giving him more and more of the case. By the end, Dr. Lohre had performed the majority of the procedure himself—with control, precision, and poise. Of course, it sounds unbelievable but to prove it, Dr. Lohre published his experience in the JAAOS. Here’s the link:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8604004
The Turning Point: How Virtual Reality Surgical Training Helped Him Stand Out
That day, everything changed. Every surgeon at the hospital knew that he did the case and that was a huge tipping point for Dr. Lohre. Trust in the OR is currency. And Dr. Lohre had just been given a massive deposit. From that point on, his attendings took notice. He got letters of recommendation that opened doors, he was a welcome person in the OR, one surgeon actually called a fellowship director on his own and apparently told him that “You need to take this guy”. Dr. Lohre heard afterwards that his referrer told the fellowship director that he was the best resident he had seen in 12 years. One fellowship director actually called back a referrer and mentioned that he had never read such a positive endorsement for a resident in his career. Dr. Lohre ultimately had his choice of fellowship. He chose a spot as a fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the top orthopedic programs in North America.
Of course, residency involves more than just technical skill. Dr. Lohre still covered call, wrote notes, did research papers, presented at journal club and was overall a nice guy. But in surgery and in orthopedics, where technical execution matters most, it was his performance in the OR that separated him. One attending referred him to colleagues with confidence, saying, “You’ll want Dr. Lohre on your team, he won’t slow you down.”
That kind of reputation isn’t built overnight. It’s built case by case, and for Dr. Lohre, it started with
mastering the basics early. By using every tool available, including VR, he mastered the basics, while
others were still focused on theory alone. With his dual approach, Dr. Lohre built a foundation for
accelerated growth. Complex cases came easier. Learning curves got shorter. He became the resident who wasn’t just showing up, but standing out.
After fellowship, Dr. Lohre would return to MGH, not as a trainee, but as a staff surgeon, now part of
one of the most respected orthopedic groups on the continent. His journey from Vancouver to Boston
was marked not by shortcuts, but by relentless preparation, powered by modern tools like the
PrecisionOS Virtual Reality Platform that allowed him to train smarter, faster, and more effectively. He’s beyond his years in skill now and that’s because he practised the basic skills in VR before the OR. Doing advanced skills is the whole purpose of the OR. If you are struggling with basics, you’re extending the learning curve and limiting opportunities. He was performing at 80–90% effectiveness in the OR after preparing, compared to others who might only be at 10–20%. Ask him how he got there, and he’ll still say the same thing:“Prepare like it matters. Because in the OR, it does.
Über PrecisionOS
PrecisionOS is an award-winning medical software company redefining surgical training through virtual reality. Built by surgeons for surgeons, PrecisionOS empowers healthcare teams around the world with immersive, measurable, and patient-centered learning experiences. Learn more about our virtual reality surgical training platform used by residents like Dr. Lohre here:
info@precisionostech.com
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