Virtual Reality (VR) is transforming methods and practices in health professions education and clinical care. This Collection invites original research articles, systematic reviews, and perspective papers that explore the role of VR across educational and clinical settings.

In health professions education, VR enables immersive, repeatable, and scalable training environments that offer promising solutions to long-standing challenges in teaching and training curricula. Submissions may address topics such as the effects of VR-based learning, the use of VR in assessment scenarios, or its impact on equitable access to digital learning opportunities.

In clinical practice, VR is emerging as a valuable tool for visualizing medical image data, for enhancing rehabilitation and motor recovery, for mental health and behavioral therapy, or for pain management and anxiety reduction. We welcome contributions on the design, implementation, and validation of VR applications across diverse patient populations and care settings.

This Collection aims to showcase interdisciplinary research at the intersection of immersive technology, clinical science, and medical education. We encourage both conceptual and empirical approaches that advance the integration of VR in healthcare and training.

Key areas of interest include (but are not limited to):

- VR-based training and assessment for medical and health professions students

- Objective performance measurement and feedback systems in VR environments

- VR applications in diagnostics, patient empowerment, and rehabilitation

- VR use in surgical environments and intraoperative support

- Cognitive, psychological, and physiological outcomes of VR interventions

- Implementation science perspectives on VR in clinical care and health professions education

- Digital equity, accessibility, and user competence in VR-based health systems

- Experimental approaches to designing VR interfaces in healthcare settings

We welcome submissions from researchers, educators, clinicians, and technology developers across all relevant disciplines.

All submissions in this collection undergo the journal’s standard peer review process. Similarly, all manuscripts authored by a Guest Editor(s) will be handled by the Editor-in-Chief. As an open access publication, this journal levies an article processing fee (details here). We recognize that many key stakeholders may not have access to such resources and are committed to supporting participation in this issue wherever resources are a barrier. For more information about what support may be available, please visit OA funding and support, or email OAfundingpolicy@springernature.com or the Editor-in-Chief.