virtual reality, higher education, learning outcomes, technology, teaching and learning.

Background: Universities have been making public statements about using VR in their teaching and learning profiles over the past five years. However, it is unclear how VR is used in HPE, and whether VR can be effective in HPE learning and teaching. Therefore, it is important to describe how VR is currently used, and also whether VR is effective in HPE learning and teaching. Aim: To identify how virtual reality is used in education for health professionals. Methods: A scoping review of articles published between 2010 and 2020 was conducted, where search terms were derived from a preliminary review of related literature. Results: The predominant uses of VR in HPE are in two areas: anatomy and clinical education. VR is also known for its functionality, allowing users to interact and engage with the material (structure and objective) and the virtual environment. Another finding in the review describes the elements that influence the use of VR in HPE. These include questions of efficacy, learners’ experience, acceptability, pedagogy and economics. Conclusion: While there is evidence that VR could be used as a learning and teaching tool in health professional training programmes, there is little literature on how these tools affect student learning.