Augmented Reality for Anatomy Training: Efficacy and Interest Among Medical Trainees

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Augmented Reality Technology
• Anatomy Training

Background:

• Augmented reality (AR) is increasingly discussed for its potential in medical education and training.
• Familiarity with AR among medical students is often limited prior to exposure.
• Traditional anatomy education methods may benefit from technological integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of AR-based anatomy education software in a medical school setting.
• To evaluate medical students' perceptions and experiences with AR in anatomy learning.
• To determine if AR can supplement or replace existing anatomy training methods.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study was conducted with preclinical medical students at a U.S. medical school.
• Participants completed pre- and post-surveys assessing familiarity, interest, and perceptions of AR.
• Students engaged with three modules of AR-based anatomy education software.

Main Results:

• Less than half of surveyed students were familiar with AR in medical education before the study.
• A statistically significant positive shift in student perceptions of AR in medical education was observed post-exposure (p < 0.001).
• Student feedback favored AR as a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, traditional wet lab dissections.

Conclusions:

• AR technology holds potential as a supplementary tool in medical anatomy education.
• Exposure to AR significantly enhances medical students' positive perceptions of its educational value.
• AR can effectively augment traditional medical training methods, improving the learning experience.