Using Q-methodology to evaluate digital 3D tools in anatomy education

The use of three-dimensional (3D) models as anatomical teaching tools has grown in popularity. While these models enhance engagement and knowledge acquisition, best practices for their implementation remain uncertain. This exploratory study uses Q-methodology to identify and understand perspectives that emerge within different student groups regarding the integration of digital 3D models into an undergraduate anatomy curriculum. Q-methodology examines participants' viewpoints by having them rank a series of statements based on their level of agreement into structured distributions called Q-sorts, which are analyzed to identify emerging factors. Undergraduate anatomy students in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) as well as the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology (ACB) at Western University were given access to the digital anatomical modeling tool Visible Body (VB) throughout their course. At the end of the term, students from FHS (n = 31) and ACB (n = 27) ranked 35 statements into a Q-sort based on their experience with VB. By-person factor analysis revealed distinct groups of students within each course who shared similar perspectives on the use of VB. Our findings suggest that students' opinions of digital models are shaped by academic level, course design, available resources, and individual learning preferences. Recognizing these grouped opinions can help inform best practices for integrating digital technologies into the anatomy curriculum, particularly by guiding educators on which student groups may benefit most from targeted implementation.