Extended Reality Applications in Plastic Surgery Residency: Why and Why Not

Michelle D. Benedict, Donovan A. Inniss, Noor A. Alesawy, Nikhil Mantena, Hannah Xu, Vitaliy Popov, Taylor Kantor, Christian J. Vercler, Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mass General Brigham, Department of Surgery, Center for Surgery Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Department of Learning Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Surgical Innovation

Published online on January 03, 2026

Abstract

Surgical Innovation, Volume 33, Issue 4, Page 371-382, August 2026.
BackgroundEarly innovations are often disruptive but gain traction when the benefits become evident. EXtended Reality (XR) has recently gained momentum for surgical training. XR involves a head-mounted display (HMD) blending physical and digital worlds ...