Integrating Virtual Reality in Healthcare Education: A Needs Assessment from the Perspective of Moroccan Medical Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53103/cjess.v6i2.470Keywords:
Virtual Reality, Medical Education, Medical students, Morocco, Needs AssessmentAbstract
Background: Virtual reality (VR) provides immersive simulation platforms for clinical skills development in safe environment. The developing landscape, Morocco included, lacks localized evidence on institutional readiness and implementation needs. This study aims to assess needs, barriers, and readiness for VR-based learning from Moroccan students' perspectives. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was held at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, involving 86 medical students. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire including demographics, VR experience, expectations, and implementation requirements. Descriptive and univariate analysis were used. Results: While 88.4% of students knew about VR, only 27.9% had ever used it. However, acceptance was universal (96.5%) with preferred applications including surgery (80.2%), emergency medicine (50%), and anatomy (98.8%). Realistic scenarios (75.6%), adaptive content (67.4%), and high-quality rendering (60.5%) were demanded by the students. No significant associations were found between acceptance and demographics (p>0.05). Conclusion: Moroccan medical students demonstrate strong VR readiness. Effective implementation requires treating connectivity issues, creating locally relevant resources, and ensuring organizational support for formal curricular integration.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Amal Barkouk, Manar Jallal, Zineb Serhier, Mohammed Bennani Othmani
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