Immersion in the anatomical dissection room using a virtual reality headset to reduce medical student anxiety: A randomized controlled trial

Anatomical dissection is a fundamental component of medical education but is often associated with significant student anxiety that is hence important to consider. This randomized controlled trial aimed to assess whether immersive preparation using a 360° virtual reality (VR) video could reduce anxiety and stress in medical students prior to their first dissection experience. Second‐year medical students at a single medical school in France, with no prior exposure to the dissection room, were randomized to either (1) an intervention group that received a VR‐based immersive tour of the dissection environment, or (2) a control group that received a conventional introduction with photos and videos. The primary outcome was change in state anxiety, measured by the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI‐State) before and after the intervention. Secondary outcomes included physiological stress measured by heart rate and overall satisfaction with the educational experience. A total of 233 students were analyzed (intervention group: n = 87; control group: n = 146), with comparable baseline demographic and psychological characteristics. Following the intervention, the intervention group showed a slight decrease in STAI‐State score (from 46.7 to 46.5), whereas the control group experienced an increase (from 45.6 to 46.2), resulting in a statistically significant between‐group difference ( p = 0.048). Changes in heart rate during dissection did not differ significantly between groups ( p = 0.317). Among students exposed to VR, the overall satisfaction with practical sessions was rated 7.6/10 (SD 1.2). Taken together, the present findings showed that immersive VR preparation modestly but significantly reduced pre‐dissection anxiety, with high acceptability among medical students.