The Educational Value of Virtual 3D Skeletal Model Rendered from CAT Scan in Anatomy Education

The objective of the study was to evaluate the educational value of a 3D virtual model of the human skeletal system, rendered from a CAT scan of a cadaver. With the current trend of decreasing student‐instructor contact hours in basic science curricula in professional schools, ancillary resources are becoming increasingly important. As dissection of the cadaver involves a superficial to deep approach with emphasis on soft tissues, anatomy of the skeletal system is often taught using disarticulated bones or complete skeletal models which are scarce in most institutions. Limited study of skeleton also affects students’ understanding of soft tissue structures. To compensate for deficiencies, an interactive 3D virtual skeletal model of the human torso was created from a series of DICOM images of a cadaver and was made available to the first‐year dental students in a human anatomy course at The Ohio State University. Pre‐ and post‐quizzes were conducted to evaluate whether learning took place from the simple interaction with the virtual model. A survey was conducted to evaluate students’ perception of the resource with respect to its educational value and students’ preference of using such a resource in the future. Grant Funding Source : N/A