Revolutionising Anatomy Education: The Current Role of Digital Technologies in Enhancing Anatomy Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students

Anatomy education, which forms the cornerstone of today's medical education, has traditionally centered on cadaveric dissections and prosections as its core teaching methods. However, these methods present with challenges, including student anxiety, nausea, and limited cadaver availability. Recent advancements in digital technologies have led to the proliferation of innovative learning tools, introducing novel and transformative approaches to enhance anatomy education. While numerous studies explore the potential applications of innovative technologies in anatomy education, few studies have examined their current application in anatomy teaching for undergraduate medical students. This gap in the literature is significant, as understanding the usability and acceptance of digital tools in anatomy teaching is crucial for ensuring that students receive high-quality education. To address this, a comprehensive review was undertaken to explore the breadth of research activity in this field, exploring the integration of digital technologies in anatomy teaching. This review aimed to address the research question: "How are digital technologies currently being used in the delivery of anatomy teaching in undergraduate medical education?". A systematic search was performed across multiple databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, with studies screened using Covidence (Veritas Health Innovation, Melbourne, Australia), a web-based software platform. Eligible studies were systematically reviewed and data extracted and organised, with findings presented graphically, accompanied by descriptive narratives. Our findings indicate that while innovative digital tools are increasingly being adopted, many medical schools continue to rely predominantly on traditional cadaver-based methods for anatomy teaching. Only a limited number of institutions have fully integrated digital technologies into their teaching practices. Additionally, traditional approaches, such as cadaveric dissections and prosections, remain the preferred choice among students for learning anatomy. A commonly reported limitation of digital tools is their difficulty in effectively conveying spatial relationships between anatomical structures, a critical component in anatomy learning. Despite this, recent studies have revealed that students and educators increasingly value multimodal approaches that combine traditional cadaver-based teaching methods with digital tools to enhance anatomy learning. This review provides valuable insights into how digital technology is currently being utilised in anatomy teaching for undergraduate medical students. We found that while various innovative pedagogical approaches have been adopted in anatomy teaching, traditional methods such as cadaveric dissections and prosections remain the most preferred by students. While digital technology is increasingly being used to complement anatomical education, modern anatomy teaching currently adopts an integrated and multimodal approach, utilising various pedagogical methods to enhance anatomy learning. It is therefore essential that educators recognise that no single pedagogical approach suits all students and a combination of various modalities is often required to meet diverse learning needs in anatomy teaching.