Beyond the Blueprint: Introducing Virtual Reality to Pediatric Healthcare in Punjab

By Shreenik Kundu

The Project

I spent a week in Ludhiana, India, implementing a virtual reality (VR)-based pediatric trauma training module and workshop. This project tested both my technical skills and my ability to adapt to diverse settings. As a first-year McGill PhD student interested in global health and surgery, I traveled there with support from the Bubbie and Nanny Global Health Travel Award designed to give students hands-on experience in places where resources can be limited. I knew I would learn a lot, but I never expected the trip to reshape my outlook on healthcare education and international collaboration as much as it did.

My plan seemed simple at first: test and adapt PetitVR, a VR-based pediatric trauma simulation, for doctors, nurses, and students in a middle-income setting. I pictured them putting on headsets, practicing real-time emergency scenarios, and sharpening their skills in a safe yet realistic environment. With my medical and academic background and a local support team, I assumed the biggest hurdle would be the local internet, or perhaps people being unfamiliar with VR. As I soon discovered, global health work rarely follows a neat blueprint.

My colleague, Dr. Ayla Gerk, and I had a long journey: a 12-hour flight to Dubai, then a 3-hour flight to Delhi, followed by a 1-hour flight to Chandigarh that landed around 9 PM. By then, the city was quiet. We still had a 2-hour drive left to reach Ludhiana. Despite the 24-hour trip, with layovers and airport changes, we arrived to a warm welcome typical of Punjab, the state in India where Ludhiana is located. The local team took us for a quick meal, jokingly offering KFC or authentic street-style Indian food. We chose the local option and were immediately mesmerized by the flavorful dishes, which set the tone for the hospitality we would experience throughout our stay. They said, “You will never go hungry in Punjab,” and they were absolutely right.

Christian Medical College (CMC) Ludhiana, located in the older part of the city, has a longstanding commitment to community-focused healthcare and research. On our first day, we were given a tour of the hospital and gained access to various facilities to help make the workshop a success. Although the setup was modest, we knew from the beginning that the enthusiasm of the local team would make this the perfect place to introduce our new technology in pediatric trauma training. Their genuine curiosity and willingness to learn confirmed that even the simplest surroundings can foster innovation, especially when everyone is invested in making it work. I soon realized my assumptions about scheduling and pacing would need to change. Participants arrived together in a group, and everyone showed genuine excitement about learning a new skill. We had just over 30 participants, which might not sound like much on paper, but with only a few VR headsets and just two of us who knew how the technology worked, those first group sessions were challenging. Initially, on the first day, some participants were hesitant to wear the headset, but once they tried it, they were amazed by how realistic the scenarios felt. A snowball effect followed, as participants began explaining the technology to one another, ensuring everyone had a chance to try the VR simulation and practice various scenarios.

I expected technical hurdles, such as setting up Wi-Fi routers and dealing with power outages. Indeed, we spent considerable time testing routers to see if they could support the software, which was new to the local IT staff. Casting the VR view onto a TV also proved tricky due to firewalls; Facebook is banned in many educational institutions in India, yet we used Meta’s Oculus VR headsets. While these issues caused delays, our team overcame them by staying flexible.

However, the bigger obstacles were cultural and pedagogical. Although many doctors and nurses spoke English well, some participants were more comfortable with Punjabi and Hindi, so we had to translate VR instructions on the spot. The local staff was incredibly helpful in this regard. Another major consideration was the limited simulation culture. Some participants had only heard of simulation training and had never actually experienced it. In hindsight, we should have allocated more time to explaining the basics of simulation before diving straight into VR. Participants were not only learning about pediatric trauma cases; they were also being introduced to the concept of simulation itself, a completely new technology of VR, and were asked to solve an unknown case of pediatric trauma, all at once. Despite that, they adapted impressively well, as any good trauma team should.

One memorable moment occurred on the final day of the workshop. A local surgical resident completed the VR scenario and excitedly told me how “alive” it felt. He acknowledged he was initially skeptical, but the experience convinced him that this type of training could help teams prepare for high-pressure situations without risking patient safety. Seeing such immediate acceptance and interest was inspiring. He even asked if we would return to continue building on this work.

Lessons for Future Travelers

●      Cultural Sensitivity
Translate materials when needed, and adjust your teaching style to fit local norms while partnering with local teachers and leaders. The local team will often know best.

●      Technical Flexibility
If a project is technology-dependent, always test your network and equipment multiple times. Pack extra chargers, cables, and backup routers if possible.

●      Empowering Local Helpers
Train local "champions" who can troubleshoot. Once they understand the objectives, everything runs more smoothly, taking your project further and ensuring sustainability.

●      Celebrate Small Wins
When a participant completes a VR scenario or overcomes a hurdle, acknowledge their progress. Small successes add up.

Looking Ahead

This travel award was not solely about meeting project milestones; it also allowed me to see firsthand how essential collaboration and flexibility are when introducing new technology to a setting with distinct challenges. I learned that success in global health work depends on listening to local partners and adapting to unexpected realities.

I left Ludhiana with a stronger conviction that VR-based training can transform medical education. Equally important was discovering the power of community spirit in a place where resources may be limited but goodwill and resilience abound. I will never forget the local research assistants who stayed late to help or the nurses who tried something completely new.

If you are thinking about an international elective, research project, or any short-term mission in a low-resource environment, my experience in Ludhiana highlights both the rewards and the realities. You will wrestle with technical glitches and cultural misunderstandings, but every challenge offers a chance to learn and grow. I hope sharing my story inspires more students to apply for similar travel awards and encourages them to approach global health work with humility, adaptability, and a spirit of genuine partnership.

Dr. Shreenik Kundu is a Ph.D. student at McGill University and a Jean Martin Laberge Global Pediatric Surgery Fellow with extensive clinical experience. He completed the Paul Farmer Global Surgery Fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Program in Global Surgery and Social Change. Dr. Kundu completed his medical school and training at the West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, in China, and a fellowship at the Global Surgery Foundation in Geneva, Switzerland.  His research interests are centered around trauma and disaster management, democratizing emergency, and trauma education through virtual reality, and MedTech research and development.