Reimagining Anatomy Education: The Potential of Virtual Learning.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine whether a single live interactive online anatomy session could enhance student confidence, engagement and perceived effectiveness. Secondary objectives included assessing accessibility, availability and overall satisfaction.

Methods

A live upper limb anatomy revision session was delivered online to 45 medical students and graduates by a surgical trainee. Teaching included a structured lecture followed by an interactive discussion, with the recording made available for later review. Following the session, participants completed a questionnaire assessing accessibility, availability, educational effectiveness, engagement, and satisfaction. Quantitative items were measured using a 5-point Likert scale, and qualitative responses were thematically analysed to identify recurrent insights. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, with α ≥ 0.70 considered acceptable. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative analysis.

RESULTS

All 45 attendees completed the questionnaire. Of these, 36 (80%) were medical students, six (13%) were medical graduates, and three (7%) came from other backgrounds. Twenty-seven participants (60%) were female and 18 (40%) were male. Second and third-year medical students formed the largest group (51%). Accessibility was rated highly (mean = 4.47 ± 0.66, 95% CI 4.28-4.66; t(44) = 13.2, p < 0.001), with 96% reporting that online delivery was at least as accessible as institutional lectures. Technological barriers were minimal (mean = 2.13 ± 1.47; t(44) = -3.9, p < 0.001). Availability was improved, as 62% found the session was more accessible than traditional lectures and 67% reported that their schools did not routinely provide recorded anatomy lectures. Effectiveness was rated positively (mean = 3.9 ± 0.98, 95% CI 3.61-4.19; t(44) = 5.8, p < 0.001), and 60% agreed that self-directed learning remained useful for dissection preparation. Confidence increased significantly after the session. Engagement (mean = 4.09 ± 0.79, 95% CI 3.85-4.33; t(44) = 8.9, p < 0.001) and perceived benefits (mean = 4.24 ± 0.74, 95% CI 4.00-4.48; t(44) = 9.8) were significantly above neutrality (p < 0.001), with no scores below 3.

CONCLUSION

A single live, interactive online anatomy session significantly improved student confidence and perceived learning effectiveness while being rated as highly accessible and engaging. Online teaching offers flexibility and a wider reach, but it also has limitations, particularly the lack of practical dissection experience. Although this model cannot replicate the tactile experience of cadaveric teaching, it demonstrates a scalable, low-resource approach to broadening access to anatomy education. Future implementations could integrate short virtual modules into blended curricula to complement practical dissection and ensure equitable learning opportunities across diverse training environments.