Studying can be intense at times, especially for medical school students. To support our students further, Institute of Health Sciences Education (IHSE) offers an exceptional service starting from this academic year: Mindfulness in Virtual Reality. Jennifer Ogden, Interim Student Academic & Pastoral Support Manager of IHSE shares her experience of piloting this programme together with IHSE e-learning team.
Meditation and mindfulness help reduce stress, increase calmness and clarity and promote happiness. Jennifer Ogden, Interim Student Academic & Pastoral Support Manager of IHSE shares that students may experience various emotions and stages of mental wellness with different needs, or at different stages of mental health are welcome to use the virtual reality headsets to have an immersive experience of mindfulness exercise. For both students suffering from crises or in perfectly well mental status, mindfulness practice can be useful in their daily lives and they can utilize the skills that they have learned through the headset.
Currently, there are two VR headsets available for student appointment. Students can book online either for in-person appointments with the student support team or use the VR headset for mindfulness practice in a private space. Students are offered an induction session and a virtual guided tour when they first use the VR headset. Students can choose different types of meditation and mindfulness exercise from TRIPP, the meditation app. They can turn on different narration features and turn on/ off the background sound. Students are encouraged to feel comfortable and be flexible with whatever postures they feel like for the sessions. They can also take off their shoes, sit or lie on the floor if they prefer.
It is a forward thinking attempt in student support services where students can choose to be on their own in a private room, with VR headset to guide them through meditation sessions in comfortable seating. Going forward, the student support and e-learning team will facilitate a full launch of the service to students.