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Three-dimensional printing in anatomy teaching: current evidence

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Abstract

Purpose

The critical literature review investigates the extent to which the current evidence supports that three-dimensional printing (3DP) could play an important role in human anatomy education.

Methods

PubMed, ERIC, and Cochrane databases were searched for papers dealing with the outcomes of 3DP implementation in human undergraduate anatomy education. The following data were extracted from each paper: authors, year of publication, type of study (comparative or not), number of participants, level of outcome according to Kirkpatrick hierarchy, influence of 3DP on acquisition of anatomical knowledge and skills, as well as perceptions about the 3DP use in anatomy teaching.

Results

Eight papers were eligible for analysis. All of them comprised comparison of 3DP with other anatomy teaching tools. Two papers evaluated only students’ perceptions about 3DP, while six papers explored its impact on students’ knowledge. The 3DP was statistically significantly superior to two-dimensional images in terms of the investigated parameters. However, comparison between 3DP and cadavers’ dissection by students did not take place in any study.

Conclusion

The 3DP implementation in anatomy education showed promising outcomes. However, the lack of studies which compared the educational effectiveness of 3DP with that of cadavers’ dissection is highlighted. It seems that 3DP could certainly be used as an adjunct to cadavers’ dissection. Further research could clarify if 3DP could obtain a more prominent role in anatomy pedagogy compared to other anatomy teaching modalities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, European University of Cyprus, 6, Diogenous Str, Engomi, 2404, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Dimitrios Chytas & Elizabeth O. Johnson

  2. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75, Mikras Asias Str., 11527, Athens, Greece

    Elizabeth O. Johnson, Maria Piagkou & George Tsakotos

  3. 2nd Orthopedic Department, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 3-5, Agias Olgas Str., 14233, Nea Ionia, Greece

    George C. Babis & Vasileios S. Nikolaou

  4. Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4, Soranou Ephessiou Street, 115 27, Athens, Greece

    Konstantinos Markatos

  5. Department of Anatomy and Surgical Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloníki, Greece

    Konstantinos Natsis

Authors
  1. Dimitrios Chytas
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  2. Elizabeth O. Johnson
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  3. Maria Piagkou
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  4. George Tsakotos
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  5. George C. Babis
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  6. Vasileios S. Nikolaou
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  7. Konstantinos Markatos
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  8. Konstantinos Natsis
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Correspondence to Konstantinos Natsis.

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Chytas, D., Johnson, E.O., Piagkou, M. et al. Three-dimensional printing in anatomy teaching: current evidence. Surg Radiol Anat 42, 835–841 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02470-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02470-2

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