Reduced hours of instruction are reported within the gross anatomy education literature. Anatomy instruction continues to be challenged with motivating and inspiring learners to value the contribution of gross anatomy knowledge to their career development alongside increased organizational demands for efficiency and effectiveness. To address these demands, this retrospective study sought to understand how the relative timing and amount of gross anatomy instruction were related to examination performance. Undergraduate and graduate students between 2018 and 2022 were assigned to three cohorts determined by enrollment in prosection-based anatomy only (n = 334), concurrent enrollment in prosection- and dissection-based anatomy in the same semester (n = 67), or consecutive enrollment in the courses one year apart (n = 43). Concurrent students had higher prosection-based anatomy examination scores than prosection-only and consecutive students. Consecutively, enrolled students outperformed concurrently enrolled students on the first two dissection examinations but showed no performance differences on the third and fourth dissection examinations. While the results on the timing and presentation of anatomical instruction were inconclusive, the results do support increased instructional time using both prosection and dissection modalities concurrently to improve performance on identification-based gross anatomy examinations.

Balancing promise and challengesprivacy, ethics

Clinical anatomy education is meant to prepare students for caring for the living, often by working with the dead. By their nature many clinical anatomy education programs privilege topographical form over the donor's humanity. This inbalance between the living and the dead generates tensions between the tangible and the spiritual insofar as semblances of the humanity of donors endure even in depictions and derivatives. This article argues that considering the relevance of spirituality, and what endures of a donor's humanity after death, would enhance contemporary anatomy education and the ethical treatment of human body donors (and derivatives). In developing this argument, we (the authors) address the historical connection between spirituality and anatomy, including the anatomical locations of the soul. This serves as a basis for examining the role of the mimetic-or imitative-potential of deceased human donors as representations of the living. We deliberate on the ways in which the depersonalization and anonymization of those donating challenge themimetic purpose of human body donorsand the extent to which such practicesare misaligned with the health care shift from a biomedical to a biopsychosocial model. Weighing up the risks and opportunities of anonymization versus personalization of human body donors, we propose curricula that could serve to enhance the personalization of human donors to support students learning topographical form. In doing so, we argue that the personalization of human donors and depictions could prevent the ill effects of digital representations going "viral," and enhance opportunities for donors to help the general public learn more about the human form.

Many medical schools in the United States have integrated anatomy into an organ-based preclinical curriculum with some schools using anatomy as the cornerstone of their reorganization efforts. Curricular change could affect one or more of the three domains of learning, with the cognitive domain often scrutinized exclusively. A previous study reported the impact of anatomy integration on the affective domain, specifically, student attitudes toward learning anatomy. This mixed methods follow-up study asked if the observed attitudinal changes and lack of effect on student knowledge and confidence persisted using knowledge and confidence surveys, focus groups, internal and national surveys, and United States Medical Licensing Examination® performance metrics. Results evidenced the persistence of specific attitudinal differences between cohorts with blocked versus integrated anatomy with no apparent short- or long-term differences in anatomy learning or confidence in this learning. Altered attitudes included lower value placed on working in teams and reflective practices, and less recognition of anatomy's contribution (or less contribution of anatomy learning) to professional identity formation. These attitudinal changes could result in a weaker foundation for building collaborative skills throughout the medical curriculum. A decreased sense of student engagement also followed curricular change, as assessed by data from the American Association of Medical Colleges Year 2 Questionnaire. Overall, results emphasized the necessity of anticipating, monitoring, and if necessary, addressing changes in the affective domain when undertaking curricular change.

Under the futuristic vision of anatomical sciences, a strong societal connection is mandatory. The anatomical practice experienced robust societal participation through public human dissection from the 16th century onward. With a perspective to explore the intersection of spirituality with anatomy, the present study analyzed this momentous period. From a spiritual perspective, the study also reflects on two relevant but presently uncoupled entities of public human dissection and societal connection through the prism of current regulations. Strong representation from the general public during public human dissection was primarily driven by spiritual proclivity and an endorsement from religious authorities. To regulate large gatherings and maintain academic sanctity, anatomical theaters emerged as dedicated spaces for such a merger. With time and growing financial support, the theaters transformed from temporary structures to elaborate architectural marvels, further propelling already robust societal connections associated with the practice. Nevertheless, a confluence of multiple factors led to the violation of spiritual principles and a consequent decrease in societal participation from the early 18th century, eventually culminating in the demise of such spectacle. Presently, public human dissection-when done-is mostly conducted for commercial gains and in contravention of ethical norms. It is against the essence of spirituality and harbors a bleak prospect for societal connection. Contrastingly, measures adopted to promote societal participation (mostly related to body donation) were quite effective and followed the principles of spirituality. Societal connections served anatomy in the past and can lead to its advancement if approached through a righteous path.

While traditional anatomy education often emphasizes passive learning and rote memorization, it seldom employs constructivist theories that focus on active, hands-on experiences for effective learning. This study tests the hypothesis that tactile experiences with modeling clay enhance geometric mental representation more effectively than verbal descriptions. We examine the potential of clay modeling to reflect and evaluate students' mental representation of anatomical structures. Utilizing a prospective randomized, open, blind endpoint (PROBE) design, we engaged 36 participants divided into three groups: blind, visually impaired, and a control group. The primary outcome measure was the difference between post-touch score and pre-touch score, which gauged the efficacy of tactile intervention in enhancing the participants' capacity to mentally reconstruct a well-designed anatomical fiction structure. Scoring was executed using a double-blind double-evaluation methodology, positioning clay model reconstruction as both an objective reliable assessment and a pedagogical tool. The analysis demonstrated a pronounced improvement in mental representation of anatomical structures, particularly in spatial comprehension and detailed textural discernment, with the mean score soaring from 47.81 pre-touch to 85.09 post-touch. Distinct cognitive processing adaptations were evident across groups, with the blind group excelling in tactile acuity and the visually impaired group showing the most significant gains in spatial understanding post-intervention (Cohen's d = 2.74). The application of modeling clay as a tactile intervention tool can significantly improve the learning of anatomy among medical students. The study underscores the value of active, multisensory engagement and customized teaching strategies for effective anatomy education among this demographic.

Traditional teaching methods struggle to convey three-dimensional concepts effectively. While 3D virtual models and virtual reality platforms offer a promising approach to teaching anatomy, their cost and specialized equipment pose limitations, especially in disadvantaged areas. A simpler alternative is to use virtual 3D models displayed on regular screens, but they lack immersion, realism, and stereoscopic vision. To address these challenges, we developed an affordable method utilizing smartphone-based 360° photogrammetry, virtual camera recording, and stereoscopic display (anaglyph or side-by-side technique). In this study, we assessed the feasibility of this method by subjecting it to various specimen types: osteological, soft organ, neuroanatomical, regional dissection, and a dedicated 3D-printed testing phantom. The results demonstrate that the 3D models obtained feature a complete mesh with a high level of detail and a realistic texture. Mesh and texture resolutions were estimated to be approximately 1 and 0.2 mm, respectively. Additionally, stereoscopic animations were both feasible and effective in enhancing depth perception. The simplicity and affordability of this method position it as a technique of choice for creating easily photorealistic anatomical models combined with stereoscopic depth visualization.

Three-dimensional (3D) modeling is a recent, innovative approach to teaching anatomy. There is little literature, however, to suggest how 3D modeling is best used to teach students and whether or not students can gain the same level of understanding as they might use more traditional, hands-on, teaching methods. This study evaluated the use of a 3D modeling software in both a flipped classroom curriculum and as an active learning tool in comparison to traditional, physical model-based teaching. Pre- and post-course content-based assessments were used to evaluate students' learning. Our findings indicated no significant difference between standard and flipped classroom learning; however, the students who used 3D modeling software as an active learning tool significantly underperformed students in the standard group (F(2,1060) = 112.43, p < 0.0001). These findings suggest that these technologies may not yet be useful as a primary means of instruction. Possible explanations may include cognitive overload in navigating the system, intrinsic limitations of the software, or other factors. Further development and research of these technologies is necessary prior to their adoption into teaching practices in anatomy.

The intersection of religion and science often elicits polarizing views among scientists, though approximately half of American scientists identify as religious. Mounting evidence also supports the role of spirituality in comprehensive patient care. The purpose of this study was to explore the religiosity of faculty who teach in the anatomical sciences at U.S. colleges and universities. Surveys were administered to anatomists through two professional societies. Two-thirds (64.9%, 74/114) of respondents identified as religious, 26.3% (30/114) as atheist, and 8.8% (10/114) as agnostic. Most respondents (64.9%, 74/114) disagreed with the statement, "There is no place for religion and science to intersect." Approximately one in three respondents expressed concern that sharing/disclosing their religious beliefs would negatively affect the perceptions of colleagues (32.5%, 37/114) and students (28.9%, 33/114) toward them. Faculty at faith-based institutions were more open to disclosing their beliefs (p = 0.045), and highly religious individuals were more concerned (p = 0.001). Fewer than one-fifth of respondents 17.5% (20/114) personally experienced mistreatment or discrimination within academic settings due to their religious beliefs. Most respondents held politically liberal-leaning views (71.0%, 76/107). Highly religious individuals were more likely to be politically conservative (p < 0.001). Overall, this study demonstrates that the number of anatomists who identify as religious may be higher than that of other biological disciplines and that mistreatment due to religious views remains a challenge for some in the profession. Continued dialogue regarding the role of religion in professional identity expression may be an important step in mitigating religion-focused mistreatment and discrimination in academic settings.