Abstract:

Language barriers to treating foreigners are an urgent issue globally, and the importance of medical interpreters is increasing. However, due to the unprecedented spread of the new coronavirus infection, practical training has been canceled in many places, and there is a lack of opportunities for medical interpreters to practice and for face-to-face interpretation training. If this situation continues, there is concern that opportunities to gain hands-on experience will be limited. In addition, because of the burden on the medical professionals, only a small number of trainees can be accepted at a time. Therefore, it is desirable to have opportunities to have simulated experiences outside the hospital without spending human resources.

Virtual space is free from the boundaries of space and time in the real world, and has the power to extend and enhance the physical world in which we live. It has the power to extend and enhance the physical world we live in. It is a useful technology for users because it allows them to have various experiences while staying at home. If VR and AR can be used for hospital interpretation, it is possible to experience situations that cannot be reproduced under normal circumstances. By creating places, spaces, equipment, and situations such as operating rooms and sterilization rooms, which are difficult to experience even in on-the-job training, it is possible to create simulated experiences that are close to on-the-job training.

The author has experience in developing educational materials for remote training environments and has verified the effectiveness of educational materials created using an online educational platform as a tool for self-study and education. Furthermore, Juntendo University in Japan has already recorded the treatment of a new type of coronavirus infection using VR, and medical students have already had a simulated experience. We believe that the development of a VR/AR learning system for medical English and medical interpretation can be expected to have a learning effect on the coronavirus disaster. In this study, we will conduct a literature survey of medical education cases utilizing VR/AR in Japan, and explore its applicability to medical interpretation education.

Keywords:

VR, Education, Development, Medical, Interpreting.