Virtual reality is being used to help aspiring radiographers at Keele University learn how to use X-ray machines.

The University is one of only a handful across the UK – and the first in the West Midlands – to have access to the technology, which uses gaming-style 3D graphics along with virtual patients to help students practice in a realistic environment.

The software covers a full range of procedures, including patient positioning, equipment handling, and exposure settings, replicating the workflow of a real X-ray room at a fraction of the cost.

The software is being used in the brand-new healthcare simulation suite at Keele University. Designed for use by students across the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, the state-of-the-art facility has been created to give students the chance to practice and hone their skills in a realistic environment throughout their curriculum. and also features a hospital ward, GP surgery, operating theatre, and CT scanner.

Daniel Collins, a third-year radiography student at Keele, said: "Practice does make perfect, so being able to supplement the anatomy side of our education with visual representation in the virtual reality world does help. Everybody has different clinical experiences and not everybody experiences the same things in real life, so virtual reality gives you the ability to experience things you've perhaps not been exposed to as much as part of your development. It's good to see the University investing to help with our education."

The virtual reality software was developed by a company in New Zealand and is used by just 11 other universities in the UK, alongside the likes of the University of Sydney in Australia.

Emma Edwards, Programme Director for Radiography at Keele University, said: "It's fantastic to have this pioneering software at Keele that will play a big part in training the next generation of diagnostic radiographers here in Staffordshire.

"The technology allows students to repeatedly practice core radiographic skills in a safe, consequence-free environment, building confidence and competence before entering clinical placements. It also gives students feedback on their performance, helping them identify and correct mistakes on the spot and enhance their learning experience.

"From a teaching perspective, having the virtual reality kit means we can provide more students with realistic training without being limited by placement availability, and it means we can monitor students' progress over time, using data analytics to identify skill gaps and customise training based on individual needs. Using virtual reality for initial practice also allows students to develop clinical skills prior to undertaking images in clinical practice."