When Seconds Count: Designing Real-Time VR Interventions for Stress Inoculation Training in Novice Physicians

TL;DR

This paper presents a real-time VR stress inoculation system for novice physicians, integrating adaptive support strategies to improve decision-making during high-stress medical emergencies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel VR-SIT system with just-in-time adaptive interventions based on formative user insights and validates its effectiveness through empirical user studies.

Findings

Supports cognitive clarity under stress

Enhances decision accuracy in simulated emergencies

Provides design guidelines for real-time VR medical training

Abstract

Surgical emergencies often trigger acute cognitive overload in novice physicians, impairing their decision-making under pressure. Although Virtual Reality-based Stress Inoculation Training (VR-SIT) shows promise, current systems fall short in delivering real-time, effective support during moments of peak stress. To bridge this gap, we first conducted a formative study (N=12) to uncover the core needs of novice physicians for immediate assistance under acute stress and identified three key intervention strategies: self-regulation aids, procedure guidance, and emotional/sensory support. Building on these insights, we designed and implemented a novel VR-SIT system that incorporates a just-in-time adaptive intervention framework, dynamically tailoring support to learners' cognitive and emotional states. We then validated these strategies in a user study (N=26). Our findings provide empirical evidence and design implications for next-generation VR medical training systems, supporting physicians in sustaining cognitive clarity and accurate decision-making in critical situations.