‍Background:

FutureMinds is an initiative by Goggleminds, designed to inspire students aged 13-16 to consider careers in healthcare through virtual reality (VR) experiences. With a healthcare workforce shortage in the UK, it is essential to encourage young students to pursue healthcare careers. FutureMinds works closely with Careers Wales and local schools to deliver immersive workshops that provide students with hands-on healthcare experiences in a virtual setting, helping them better understand healthcare roles and career paths.

The initiative focuses on addressing the lack of role models and opportunities many students face, especially those who do not have family members working in healthcare. By allowing students to virtually care for patients, participate in medical scenarios, and explore healthcare environments, FutureMinds provides an exciting way for students to see themselves in a future healthcare career.

The Solution:

FutureMinds’ solution involves a 2-hour VR workshop led by the Goggleminds team, with support from Careers Wales. These workshops include:

• Discussions on various NHS roles, featuring stories from healthcare professionals.
• Small group rotations where students engage in VR healthcare experiences, such as treating virtual patients and experimenting with medical procedures.

The workshops provide students with an immersive look into healthcare careers, enabling them to interact with virtual equipment and make decisions in simulated medical scenarios.

Data and Impact:

The FutureMinds initiative has reached over 1000 students across Wales through the VR workshops and feedback highlights the programme’s impact:

• 92% of students reported that the sessions inspired them to consider healthcare careers.
• 80% of students rated the experience as “amazing” or “really good.”
• 45% of students had never used VR before, highlighting the novelty and engagement of the sessions.

Student Feedback:

• "My favourite part of the session was the VR patient experience as I intended to become a neurosurgeon." – Student at Llanishen High School
• "So fun, I learnt a lot." – Student at St Illtyds Catholic High School
• "Very good experience, really good idea and very fun to take part in." – Student at St Teilos Church in Wales High School

Key Figure 1:

• Stat: 92% Inspired to Consider Healthcare Careers.
• After attending the VR workshops, 92% of students were inspired to think about healthcare careers.

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Key Figure 2:

• Stat: 80% Rated the Experience as Amazing or Really Good.
• The immersive VR experiences received high satisfaction ratings from the students, with 80% saying the workshops were excellent.

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Conclusion:

The FutureMinds initiative is successfully increasing awareness and interest in healthcare careers among young students in Wales. By providing experiential learning opportunities and mentorship, the programme is paving the way for a future healthcare workforce. With plans to expand nationwide, FutureMinds is working to ensure that all students, regardless of background, have equitable access to these valuable experiences.