Cambridge medical students train with holographic patients

Cambridge University has pioneered a technology to train future doctors with life-like scenarios. 

Medical students undergoing training at Addenbrooke’s Hospital are using a new mixed-reality training system to learn to treat holographic patients in a new world-first. 

The technology, called HoloScenarios, can be used in person with a group of classmates or online, with students able to assess the scenarios using their phones from anywhere around the world. According to the university, it is more cost-effective than traditional simulation, which requires the hiring of patient actors.  

Using virtual reality headsets, the students are able to interact with classmates and treat realistic-looking, virtual people with no fear of making a mistake.

HoloScenarios is being developed by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), the University of Cambridge and Los Angeles-based tech company GigXR, which hope to be able to sell it around the world and drastically change the way future doctors are trained. 

"It feels very much more that you're connected to the scenario and we've spent a lot of time trying to get that exactly right," said Dr Jonathan Martin, from Addenbrooke's Hospital. 

Cambridge students are expected to take several modules using the technology, the first of which focuses on respiratory conditions and emergencies, involving a holographic patient with asthma, followed by anaphylaxis, pulmonary embolism and pneumonia.

In the near future, the developers are looking to expand the technology to include cardiology and neurology patients. 

Teachers and medical instructors are also able to access the platform to change patient responses, introduce complications and record observations and discussions, both in-person and remotely. 

“Mixed reality is increasingly recognised as a useful method of simulator training," said Dr Arun Gupta, the leader of the project. “As institutions scale procurement, the demand for platforms that offer utility and ease of mixed reality learning management is rapidly expanding.

“With HoloScenarios, we’re helping to evolve education from a mentorship-based model to one where students around the world can have equal access to top-flight expertise for mastering invention-based clinical skills.”

Alongside the development and release of HoloScenarios, the University of Cambridge is also researching learner and patient outcomes using mixed reality, as well as evaluating the products and resulting efficiencies for institutions.