When Dr. Jonathan Sherman first stepped into an emergency room during a medical mission trip to Honduras, he didn’t expect to find his future career path. But after watching a neurosurgeon skillfully treat a child’s head injury, he was captivated. It combined everything he loved—anatomy, precision, and the challenge of protecting the brain, the body’s most complex organ.
Today, Dr. Sherman is a leading neurosurgeon known not only for his surgical skills but also for bringing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into the operating room.
From the Mailbox to the Operating Room
Dr. Sherman’s journey with AR and VR technology began in the most ordinary of places—his office mailbox. A flyer advertising a dinner event for a tech company offering VR tools for medicine piqued his interest. Curious, he attended and immediately saw the potential for AR and VR in training future healthcare providers and improving patient education and understanding.
That initial spark grew into something far bigger. Soon, his clinic had a patient engagement suite, a room equipped with AR and VR tools as well as 3D videos that patients could take home to their loved ones to better understand the life-altering surgery they were about to undergo. He even helped turn this idea into a campus-wide initiative at multiple universities, proving the value of immersive tech for both education and patient care.
A New Way to Talk About Brain Tumors
After being diagnosed with a brain mass, traditional doctors might show you a grainy black-and-white MRI image. Both patients and doctors would have to use their imagination to get an idea of the surgical approach, where the tumor is relative to important structures of the brain that control executive function, speech, etc. However, Dr. Sherman does things differently.
In his clinic, patients can put on a headset and virtually “fly” into a 3D model of their own brain. They can see where the tumor is, how close it is to critical brain areas, and what the surgeon will need to do. In just ten minutes, a flat scan turns into an interactive tour of the brain.
“It changes everything about how we talk to patients,” says Dr. Sherman. “They can see their own facial features, their skull, and where the tumor sits in relation to speech or movement centers. That clarity lowers anxiety and builds trust.”
To see an example of this 3D model, see the clip below from Dr. Sherman’s recent ABTA webinar:
Saving Time, Easing Fears—and Changing Outcomes
Dr. Sherman recalls a particular patient with a small, deep brain tumor. The location made surgery risky. But with 3D imaging and delicate planning, his team found the safest angle to access it. What was supposed to be a simple biopsy turned into a more extensive (and more effective) surgery—removing 80% of the mass. The patient, who had a high-grade tumor, had a significantly better outcome than expected.
This is the kind of impact that drives Dr. Sherman. “That level of surgical planning made all the difference,” he says.
The Challenges Behind the Scenes
Of course, bringing futuristic tech into a hospital isn’t always smooth. Dr. Sherman has faced technical glitches, like interpreting abnormal brain connections, and the challenge of justifying the cost of the technology to hospital administrators. It took two years to get approval at one institution.
But the value is clear. Beyond brain surgery, departments like cardiology, orthopedics, and even GI surgery are now using similar technologies. “It’s not just about fancy tools,” Dr. Sherman emphasizes. “It’s about better patient care and training future doctors.”
The Future: Healing the Brain from the Inside Out
Looking ahead, Dr. Sherman sees even more promise in combining immersive technology with brain therapy. One exciting direction–using focused ultrasound and brain stimulation to help patients regain function after surgery, stroke, or injury.
“Imagine helping a patient who has trouble speaking or moving after surgery retrain their brain using virtual tools and network mapping,” he says. “That’s where we’re headed.”
For Dr. Sherman, it’s not just about removing tumors. It’s about reshaping how we see, understand, and heal the human brain—one 3D image at a time.
See Dr. Sherman’s complete ABTA webinar below:
