Tech helps UK medical students learn safely World May 2, 2021 TAUNTON, United Kingdom: The rural county of Somerset in southwest England is best known for its cider, and seems an unlikely setting for cutting-edge technological innovation. But, owing to teaching disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, medical students at Musgrove Park Hospital in the main town of Taunton are tapping in to virtual reality technology to help them in their studies. Clutching hand-held controllers and immersed in large headsets, the students are plunged into a maelstrom of virtual intensive care wards. The technology lets them learn how to explain diagnoses and treatment plans, deal with challenging situations, as well as engage with patients and their families, without attending in-person sessions.