Using virtual reality in the classroom

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - The Veterinary Medicine Department at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) has brought a unique kind of virtual education into some of their courses.

Used primarily for Anesthesia courses, virtual reality (VR) tools are used by students to learn and gain experience before treating living animals. Additionally, there are developments being made that will include wound care, interpreting blood work, and drug calculations, among others.

Greg Pietsch, assistant professor of Veterinary Medicine at UAF, says there is hope that the implemented VR system will bring increased skill development and course engagement for the students.

Pietsch is optimistic of using virtual reality in classrooms and looks forward of ways to expand virtual reality into other veterinary courses.

The Veterinary Medicine Department at UAF runs in coordination with Colorado State University, located in Fort Collins, Colorado. Students will spend their first two years at UAF before finishing up and going through clinical at CSU. Both institutions utilize the VR system in their courses.

For more information about the Veterinary Medicine Department visit the the University of Alaska Fairbanks website.

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