While many anticipate virtual reality (VR) in the entertainment or gaming industry, less buzz is generated by VR in education. But its impact is all too real. Just ask the pigs.

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois has announced its inclusion of VR technologies in training obstetrics and gynecology residents learning surgery. This means they won't have to use pigs in surgery simulations.

Chicago Sun-Times

This shift gave them the support of an unlikely partner: PETA. The animal-rights organization has agreed  to underwrite half of the installation cost of the system, $12,000, if Rush agrees to completely remove the use of pigs in the OB-GYN program.

The system, which costs some $75,000, will allow doctors to practice without mistakes having any consequence on any type of living being. The system will also be able to rate surgeries performed based on time and efficiency.

The 24 residents of the OB-GYN program will have the chance to test out the system sometime in August, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.


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