VR vs. mannequin ECT training: is VR as good for learning ECT skills?
Official title: Comparing Virtual Reality Simulation to High Fidelity Simulation as an Educational Modality for Electroconvulsive Therapy Training: A Non-Inferiority Study
Run by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre · NCT07350278 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether virtual reality ECT training can match traditional mannequin-based training for medical students learning how to perform electroconvulsive therapy.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 78 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Toronto, Ontario) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 18, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | March 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | August 10, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07350278 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Medical students at the University of Toronto who have not previously received formal ECT training.
✕Probably not a fit
Participants who do not improve in ECT skills or who encounter VR usability issues may derive little benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
In this open-label, non-inferiority study, medical students at the University of Toronto are randomized to receive either a VR-based ECT simulator or a high-fidelity mannequin simulator. Participants complete an initial ECT skills assessment, then 30 minutes of didactic instruction, followed by hands-on training with their assigned simulator, and a final skills assessment to measure skill acquisition and confidence. The study also evaluates ease of use and the number of training repetitions completed in each arm. The goal is to determine if VR training is non-inferior to mannequin-based training in teaching core ECT skills.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If VR training is non-inferior or superior, it could broaden access to standardized ECT education and reduce training costs.
How similar studies have gone: VR training has shown promise in other medical domains, but validated evidence for ECT training is novel and not yet established.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Is a medical student at the University of Toronto * Has not received formal ECT training before Exclusion Criteria: * Visual or hearing impairment that does not allow the participant to use VR. * History of significant motion sickness.
Where it's running
-
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Fahad Dr. Alam, MD, FRCPC — Sunnybrook Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Fahad Alam, MD, FRCPC
- Email: Fahad.Alam@Sunnybrook.ca
- Phone: 416-480-4864
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Flumazenil to help reduce cognitive side effects during ECT for depression
This study tests whether giving flumazenil to reverse benzodiazepine effects during electroconvulsive therapy can lower cognitive side effects without reducing treatment effectiveness in adults with depression.
-
Electroconvulsive therapy versus magnetic seizure therapy for major depression
This project will test whether magnetic seizure therapy or electroconvulsive therapy works better and is easier to tolerate for people aged 12–80 with major depressive disorder.
-
Virtual reality training for public speaking in higher-education students
This project tests whether virtual reality practice combined with voice and fluency training helps French-speaking higher-education students improve their public speaking.
-
Comparing self-guided and facilitator-guided virtual reality training for medical students
This study tests whether medical students learn better to manage critically ill children using self-guided virtual reality training or training led by a facilitator.
-
Using virtual reality training for thyroid surgery education
This study tests if virtual reality training can help surgery residents learn thyroid surgery better than traditional textbook methods.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.