Anatomy and its impact on medicine: Will it continue?

Anatomy is the study of the human body’s structure. That visible to the naked eye is known as gross or topographic anatomy and is the focus of this editorial. In reflecting on the impact of anatomy on medicine, two approaches will be taken. The first approach is from a research perspective: anatomy as a field of knowledge progressively transformed via the findings of investigation. This raises a corresponding set of questions. Is anatomy ossified as a field of knowledge? Alternatively, is anatomy on the threshold of a renaissance? If so, what are its recent and likely future advances, particularly those that parallel advances in medicine? These are discussed while considering anatomical research past, present, and future. The second approach is from an educational perspective: anatomy as a subject taught. This also raises a corresponding set of questions. Is anatomy education being threatened with extinction? Alternatively, is the teaching of anatomy continually evolving and reinventing itself? If so, what are the current and likely future educational breakthroughs and their implications for both undergraduate medical students as well as postgraduate specialty trainees? Similarly, these are discussed while considering anatomy education past, present and future.