Second Life™: a novel simulation platform for the training of surgical residents

Abstract

A virtual world is a three-dimensional, computer-generated, simulated environment. Human users create “avatars,” or virtual projections of themselves, in order to explore this virtual environment and interact with the objects and structures inside it. Second Life™ is one such virtual world accessible freely via the internet, which has been used to construct a virtual hospital complete with reception areas, changing rooms, offices, and hospital wards. Early pioneering studies have demonstrated the advantages of using virtual worlds in the education of surgical residents in a number of ways, from introductions to the clinical environment, initial patient assessment, and managing adverse outcomes, to gaining informed consent, hospital-wide training, and medical device development.

Keywords::

• Second Life^TM
• simulated operating suite
• simulation
• virtual patient
• virtual world
• ward simulation

Financial & competing interests disclosure

R Aggarwal is funded by a Clinician Scientist Award, National Institute of Health Research, Department of Health, UK. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.