3D Anatomy Models and Impact on Learning: A Review of the Quality of the Literature

The aims of this study were to identify studies exploring three-dimensional (3D) anatomy models and their impact on learning, and to assess the quality of research in this area. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Web of Knowledge databases were searched using the following keywords "3D anatomy", "three dimensional anatomy," "3D virtual reality anatomy," "3D VR anatomy," "3D anatomy model, “3D anatomy teaching", and “anatomy learning VR” . Three evaluators independently assessed the quality of research using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). Of the 94,616 studies identified initially, 30 studies reported data on the impact of using 3D anatomy models on learning. The majority were of moderate quality with a mean MERSQI score=10.26 (SD 2.14, range 6.0–13.5). The rater intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.75–0.88). Most studies were from North America (53%), and Europe (33%) and the majority were from medical (73%) and Dental (17%) schools. There was no solid evidence that the use of 3D models is superior to traditional teaching. However, the studies varied in research quality. More studies are needed to examine the short- and long-term impacts of 3D models on learning using valid and appropriate tools.