A visuospatial and kinesthetic 3D-printed model of inguinal anatomy improves applied anatomy knowledge

Introduction High-fidelity three-dimensional (3D) models provide a better understanding of spatial relationships among complex anatomical structures. Medical students often lack hands-on opportunities to develop an in-depth understanding of applied anatomy prior to their clinical years, a trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is limited research on the utilization of 3D models in the clinical years. This study evaluates the effectiveness of an interactive 3D-printed inguinal hernia model in teaching applied surgical anatomy to third-year medical students (MS3). Materials and methods 3D-printed models of inguinal anatomy were created using de-identified CT scans, 3D-modeling software, and 3D-printing services. A single-blind randomized control trial of third-year medical students was conducted at a single academic institution. The tactile group received three educational tools describing inguinal hernia anatomy and repair: an established video module (WISE-MD), an illustrated procedure guide, and a 3D-printed model. The non-tactile group was provided the WISE-MD module and the illustrated procedure guide. Both groups received pre- and post-tests on basic and applied anatomy. Statistical analysis was performed using a t -test or Mann–Whitney U test for continuous variables and Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests for categorical variables. Statistical significance was defined by p < 0.05. Results One hundred and three third-year medical students participated in this study. There were no differences in pre-test scores between study groups ( p = 0.98). The tactile group scored better on post-test questions on applied anatomy ( p = 0.03), but no differences were noted in scores on basic anatomy questions ( p = 0.41). When comparing performance between overall pre-test and post-test scores, the tactile group demonstrated improvement in test scores which trended toward significance ( p = 0.09). Conclusions Third-year medical students using high-fidelity 3D-printed models demonstrated improved test scores on applied anatomy when compared to students who were exposed to conventional educational resources. With the rising use of virtual learning environments, interactive learning tools like 3D-printed anatomy models may have an important role in knowledge acquisition during the surgical clerkship.