Evaluating the impact of video-only, video with group discussion, and collaborative 360VR on abdominal examination training for first-semester medical students and medicine with industrial specialization

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BACKGROUND: Immersive technologies are increasingly explored in medical education to supplement traditional teaching methods. Instructional videos provide consistent demonstrations but often lack opportunities for interaction and reflection. We compared video-only instruction, video instruction combined with facilitated peer discussion, and a collaborative 360° virtual reality (VR) co-viewing environment for teaching abdominal examination to first-semester medical students. METHODS: In this three-arm comparative pilot study (non-randomized), 30 students were allocated to video alone (n = 11), video plus discussion (n = 10), or collaborative 360° VR (n = 9). All groups viewed the same professionally produced 10-minute instructional video. The discussion group then engaged in a 20-minute guided conversation; VR participants co-viewed the same video in a shared 360° environment with teleportation between camera angles and annotation tools. Performance was assessed using a 16-item checklist scored by blinded examiners (0-16 points). Learner perceptions were measured using the UEQ-S (8 items; six scales) plus open-ended questions. Between-group differences in checklist scores were tested with two-sided Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Median checklist scores were 14.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 13.0-15.0) for video, 16.0 (IQR 14.5-16.0) for video + discussion, and 12.0 (IQR 12.0-13.0) for VR. Pairwise Mann-Whitney tests showed that video + discussion outperformed VR (U = 82.5, p = 0.0019) and video outperformed VR (U = 79.5, p = 0.0228), while video did not differ significantly from video + discussion (U = 32.0, p = 0.101). Questionnaires indicated high satisfaction with video and discussion. VR participants reported strong engagement and motivation but lower ratings for navigation and self-perceived preparedness. CONCLUSION: Supplementing instructional videos with structured peer discussion produced the highest immediate competency, supporting social-constructivist approaches to skills training. Collaborative VR did not improve short-term performance but enhanced engagement and may serve as an adjunct when combined with clear learning objectives and user training. Larger studies are needed to explore long-term retention and optimize integration of immersive technologies into medical curricula.