Application of 3D printing in medical anatomy education and its potential impact on student achievement

Textbooks, and computed tomography (CT) scans are traditional resources for anatomy education but may be insufficient for complex anatomy. This study evaluated whether adding three-dimensional printing (3DP) abdominal models to CT images improves learning of abdominal anatomy, including congenital anomalies, in medical students. In this comparative study, 48 third-year medical students were alternately assigned to a CT-only group or a CT plus 3DP (CT+3DP) group ( n = 24 per group). After a pre-test and brief atlas review, students in the CT group studied CT images only, whereas those in the CT+3DP group studied patient-specific 3DP models in addition to CT for 10 min. The same written test on normal anatomy and two congenital anomalies—choledochal cysts and anorectal malformations—was administered as a post-test, followed by a satisfaction survey. Both groups showed significant improvement from pre- to post-test ( P < 0.001). Although absolute scores did not differ significantly between groups, the gain score was greater in the CT+3DP group than in the CT group (11.5% vs. 7.2%, P = 0.018). The CT+3DP group demonstrated greater improvement for questions on congenital anomalies than the CT group ( P = 0.021), and 3DP assistance was particularly beneficial among students with lower baseline performance. Students rated the CT+3DP module higher for usefulness and overall satisfaction. The combination of 3DP models with CT images appears to be a more effective adjunct for abdominal anatomy education than CT images alone, particularly for complex congenital anomalies and students with weaker baseline knowledge; because the CT+3DP group received a greater volume and variety of learning material than the CT-only group, the observed benefit is best attributed to this combined, multimodal approach rather than to 3DP models in isolation. Incorporating combined CT and 3DP materials into surgical clerkships may enhance understanding of challenging anatomy.