Gaming and Careers, but Not the Ones You Would Expect

So we have all heard things like “video games will never get you anywhere”, “games are never going to help you in real life”, or that they are just a monumental waste of time. My stepdad is among those people, though I can’t really fault him on that. But to those people I say poppycock!

            It’s true! Video games are used in the flight industry, medical field, and armed forces on a daily basis! In many cases, it is a requirement for advancement, and continued employment in these fields. You even have to go so far as to pass a certain number of “missions” in these games to obtain certifications necessary in these fields. Still don’t believe me? That could be due to nomenclature. All three of these industries use video games in the form of simulators. For those of you saying “yeah, well that’s different, simulators aren’t games”, I ask how so? Is a virtual simulation not just a fancy video game with a goal in mind? You use a variety of controls in a virtual setting to try and accomplish something, and you have to pass each objective to progress. That sounds an awful lot like videogames to me. So let’s go into a little more detail.

            First field we will look at medicine and the use of simulators for surgeons. To start, it makes sense to have some method of practicing one’s skills, no matter what kind of surgeon you are. Seeing as there are tons of specialties for surgeons, it makes sense that there are just as many types of simulators. This article goes into detail about some of these simulators. Basically, the article goes on to talk about how the introduction of simulators made a huge impact in the training of surgeons. Only having been introduced roughly 15 years ago, things were much different before. Dr. Robert M. Sweet, one doctor helping to create these simulators, went on to state that before the simulations, the only way to learn how to do a procedure was to study out of a book, and watch your mentor perform the surgery. Having grown up with video games, Sweet thought, “well, this could make things a bit easier”. Now doctors can run a close approximation of an upcoming procedure to familiarize themselves without, ya know, having to cut a dude open on their first attempt. Basically, they get a practice run, without fear of causing permanent damage. There is even more info about surgeons and simulators that you can read right here.

            The second field that uses these simulation games is the United States Armed Forces. That’s right, the Army is using video games as part of their training for some units. Think “Ender’s Game”, but without actually going to war with an insectile alien race. In a nutshell, they have games that are like a much more realistic version of Battlefield or Call of Duty, to help train soldiers. With these games, they can run various scenarios that a soldier may encounter in the field. The idea is that by encountering these situations before actually in the field, they will be able to determine the best course of action and how to best respond to whatever situation may arise. They have simulations to learn how to confront various conflicts, as well as other aspects as to how war might affect the soldiers, both on and off the field. In this article, they discuss how they also use these simulators to help veterans cope with PTSD. It also is to help them adapt to life after service, by allowing the veterans to play as social workers, and spouses, to gain a different perspective. Plus, besides just being good for training, having the games on base actually boosts morale. Theres a ton more information to be found right here.

This article talks about two of the simulators used prominently, being Full Spectrum Warrior, and America’s Army, respectively. Not only is America’s Army used as a teaching tool, it was also intended to help with recruiting, by giving civilians a more accurate look what life in the armed services was actually like, rather than basing their judgment on the usual media, like how it is portrayed in movies and on television. It also helps to present the core values of the US Army, such as loyalty, duty, respect, honor, service, and selflessness. The other game, Full Spectrum Warrior, was designed specifically for the US Army. This game is squad based, so rather than just being a soldier on a battlefield, it puts extra emphasis on filling one’s role in a unit, and that the unit is most successful when everyone works together. While they do not focus so much on having the best graphics, this game is substantially more realistic in regards to urban combat, and on actual military tactics. This one is more of a teaching tool than the other.

The last field that regularly uses video games to train probably will not come as a surprise to you, and that is the field of aviation. We have all known about flight simulators for years, and they are incredibly popular commercially, as well as in training pilots. It just makes sense to let someone practice flying virtually than to let them take a multimillion dollar piece of equipment, that if used improperly, could cost a ton of money, and more importantly, could cost lives. In fact, flights schools require a trainee to log a certain number of hours in the simulator, as well as receive certifications saying they are ready before they are even let in a cockpit, which is probably a good thing. It would be a real bummer if you crashed your first time flying. So it’s a good thing these simulators are in place.

So like I said, there are tons of ways in which video games can actually a career. Not to mention, I heard a study a few years ago that said kids who played video games had higher hand eye coordination levels. This made them ideal surgeons and pilots. Sound familiar? The thing is to make sure that you don’t get carried away with the games, and play at the expense of everything else. You can’t devote all your potential to this pastime. Unless of course, you are planning one of these three fields and are also working your buns off. In which case, best of luck.