Metaverse in Healthcare: Feels Sci-Fi, but It's Getting Real — Fast

I’ll be honest — when I first heard someone say “metaverse” and “healthcare” in the same sentence, I rolled my eyes a bit. It felt like buzzword bingo. Like, come on… do we really need virtual reality in hospitals now too?

But the more I’ve read and — to be honest — the more I’ve seen this stuff starting to roll out, the more it’s becoming clear: this isn’t just a tech gimmick. The metaverse is starting to change how we experience healthcare, not just how we deliver it.

Imagine this: You’re sitting at home in your pajamas, and instead of a 2-minute rushed phone call with your doctor, you’re in a fully immersive virtual room, reviewing your MRI scan in 3D with a specialist across the country. It’s not just more convenient — it’s better communication. Better clarity. Better care.

And it’s not just patient-doctor stuff. Training med students in the metaverse is already happening. Instead of flipping through textbooks, students are walking around digital models of the human body, practicing surgery, reacting to emergency simulations — all in environments where mistakes are low-stakes, and the learning is real. I wish I’d had that kind of hands-on learning back in school.

The numbers are no joke either. According to Roots Analysis, the global metaverse in healthcare market is expected to hit $14.6 billion in 2025. That’s already huge. But by 2035? We’re talking about $219.1 billion. That’s a CAGR of 31.1%. That kind of growth doesn’t happen unless people — and institutions — really believe in the potential.

Now, does it solve everything? Of course not. There are real barriers. Not everyone’s got a VR headset lying around. Privacy is a huge question mark. And honestly, for some people, the tech might feel more alienating than empowering — especially older patients or anyone who’s already overwhelmed by digital systems.

But at the same time, there’s a very real opportunity here to bridge gaps, not widen them. For patients in remote areas, for people who struggle with mobility, for professionals who can’t always fly across the country for training — the metaverse isn’t a distraction. It’s a lifeline.

And let’s not forget mental health. Virtual therapy spaces are starting to feel less cold and clinical. Some people find it easier to open up when they’re not face-to-face in a fluorescent-lit office. For others, just being in a calming virtual forest while talking through anxiety can make a big difference.

So yeah, I get it now. The idea of the “metaverse in healthcare” might sound a little out-there. But when you zoom out and look at the possibilities — how it can improve access, empathy, and education — it starts to feel less like sci-fi and more like where we’re genuinely heading.

And to be honest, that’s kind of exciting.