Background:
As healthcare systems undergo rapid digital transformation, the demand for professionals with practical health informatics skills continues to rise. Yet, traditional graduate programs often lack experiential components that mirror real-world digital workflows. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 17% increase in health informatics jobs over the next decade, underscoring the need for effective training. Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising solution by simulating authentic healthcare environments where students can engage in interactive, problem-based learning. This pilot study evaluates the effectiveness of VR training in enhancing cybersecurity knowledge, task efficiency, and confidence among health informatics students.

Aim:
To assess whether a VR-based instructional module can improve students’ problem-solving accuracy, task efficiency, and self-confidence in executing cybersecurity workflows relevant to health informatics.

Methods:
A cluster-randomized crossover design was used with 41 graduate students enrolled in a Health Informatics program. Participants completed both VR-based and traditional sessions covering core cybersecurity topics (e.g., phishing, authentication, cryptography). Pre- and post-intervention surveys measured knowledge, task performance, and confidence. Usability ratings and open-ended feedback were also collected to evaluate engagement and learning experiences.

Results:
Students showed statistically significant improvements in knowledge (p < 0.05) and self-rated confidence (p < 0.05) in four cybersecurity domains following VR training. Task efficiency data revealed that immersive scenarios involving decryption or threat identification were cognitively demanding but yielded high confidence gains. Usability responses were largely positive, though 28% of participants noted technical or spatial challenges. Students preferred the interactive nature of VR and expressed interest in more collaborative, healthcare-specific scenarios.

Conclusion:
VR-based training significantly enhances applied cybersecurity knowledge, confidence, and engagement among health informatics students. The crossover design confirmed that even those starting with traditional instruction benefited from subsequent VR exposure. While not a replacement, VR serves as a powerful complement to lecture-based learning, especially for building decision-making skills in secure data workflows. Future iterations should incorporate real-world healthcare threats and collaborative features to further align with industry practice.

Study Impact:
This study contributes evidence supporting VR as a scalable, experiential tool for preparing students in cybersecurity and digital health. It has implications for curriculum design, workforce development, and equitable access to hands-on informatics training—especially for students lacking clinical placements or prior technical exposure.

Keywords: Health informatics, cybersecurity education, virtual reality, simulation-based learning, experiential training, problem-solving, task efficiency, electronic health records, decision-making, immersive learning, graduate education, workforce readiness.