Anatomage virtual dissection versus traditional human body dissection in anatomy pedagogy: insights from Ghanaian medical students

Abstract

Background Although traditional human body dissection has been the mainstay method for gross anatomy pedagogy, the popularity of virtual teaching methods has increased in recent years. The Anatomage table offers a life size digital representation of the human body and allows visualization, manipulation, and virtual dissection. This study investigated the perception of medical students towards virtual dissection vis-à-vis traditional dissection in anatomy pedagogy. Methods The cross-sectional survey included medical students at the University of Ghana who completed an internet-based questionnaire administered using Google® Forms. The questionnaire comprised 20 close-ended questions that solicited information on demographics, experience with traditional human body dissection and virtual dissection, and perception of virtual dissection. Data was summarized as frequencies and percentages with 95% confidence intervals. Results Of the 297 participants, 295 [99.4% (95% CI=97.3–99.9)] participated in human body dissection from which 93.2% had a positive and 6.8% had poor experiences. Whereas 223 [75.1% (95% CI=69.7–79.8)] of the participants would participate in dissection again given the opportunity, 74 [24.9% (95% CI=20.2–30.3)] were unwilling. Of 297 participants, 205 [69.0% (95% CI=69.7–74.2)] had used Anatomage table, while 92 [31.0% (95% CI=25.8–36.6)] had not. About 68% (95% CI=60.8–74.0) of the 205 agreed with the relative ease of operation and use of the Anatomage table compared to traditional human body dissection while 9.4% disagreed. Inadequate operational skills [51% (95% CI=48.9–53.4)] and limited accessibility [39% (95% CI=35.2–42.3)] were limitations to Anatomage use. 66.8% (95% CI=59.9–73.1) of participants agreed virtual dissection had a positive influence on learning anatomy while 6.6% disagreed. Of the 205, 87.9% (95% CI=82.3–91.8) discouraged virtual anatomy dissection completely replacing traditional human body dissection. Conclusion Virtual dissection is an effective supplement to traditional body dissection but not a replacement. Its use alongside traditional methods improves anatomy learning. Integrating technology into anatomy education will enhance student engagement and learning.