High school dance students are at an age where they can process challenging technical concepts with an anatomical lens. One of these concepts is turnout, an essential joint action used in a variety of dance contexts and disciplines. As this joint action is not always well explained or well understood, many students try it without adequate guidance…

Undergraduate introductory human anatomy and human physiology courses are either taught as discipline-specific or integrated anatomy and physiology (A&P) sequences. An institution underwent a curricular revision to change the course approach from discipline-specific Human Anatomy and Human Physiology to an integrated A&P I and II sequence,…

This article describes a community collaborative project, "I've got yer back," that utilized the craft of needle felting to raise awareness and develop understanding of the anatomy of the human spine. The project took place in 2023 and engaged with participants from across the United Kingdom and abroad and its completion was timed to…

In this article the authors present practical approaches to alignment cueing using the Functional Awareness® approach to embodied anatomy. The pedagogical philosophy is beneficial for all levels of dance skill. We describe specific instructional practices to enhance understanding of the body, and the cueing can be incorporated in any dance class.…

Anatomy educators are often at the forefront of adopting innovative and advanced technologies for teaching, such as artificial intelligence (AI). While AI offers potential new opportunities for anatomical education, hard lessons learned from the deployment of AI tools in other domains (e.g., criminal justice, healthcare, and finance) suggest that…

Dissection of human body donors is a common component of anatomy curricula, as it provides opportunities for tactile and intellectual engagement unmatched otherwise. Additionally, interaction with human body donors contributes to the "hidden curriculum" of allowing students to begin to ethically practice patient care with empathy,…

The reconstruction of two-dimensional (2D) slices to three-dimensional (3D) digital anatomical models requires technical skills and software that are becoming increasingly important to the modern anatomist, but these skills are rarely taught in undergraduate science classrooms. Furthermore, learning opportunities that allow students to…

It is likely existing anatomical illustrations are often used as the basis for new illustrative works, given not all illustrators have access to human tissues, bodies, or prosections on which to base their illustrations. Potential issues arise with this practice in the realms of copyright infringement and plagiarism when authors are seeking to…

Traditional academic lectures have long been criticized as providing a passive learning environment to students. Often, they do not capture the audience's attention, resulting in learners being distracted or bored and thereby reducing their learning efficacy. Consequently, they are being abandoned by many schools and universities as an educational…

Mnemonic devices are memory aids that make it easier to recall information and are widely used by students studying anatomy and physiology. Simple musical instruments and toys can serve as mnemonic devices for students learning the functional anatomy of the larynx: balloons can help learners understand and recall how sound is produced; tuning pegs…

Virtual reality (VR) is an increasingly available resource with numerous applications to medical education, and as a teaching tool has been widely validated in the literature. Photogrammetry, the process of overlapping two-dimensional (2D) photographic images of three-dimensional (3D) objects to create a 3D image or "model," can be used…

Student participation in interactive outreach programs focusing on anatomy has been shown to have a positive impact on learning and healthcare career aspirations. This article describes the Anatomy Outreach Program held at the Physical Therapy Center and Gross Anatomy Lab on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas. Physical therapy (PT)…

Human dissection is an ancient pedagogical method that is still relevant in modern anatomy curricula. The body procurement process for dissection purposes has undergone significant evolution from the medieval era until now, whereby body donation has become the main source for human bodies in medical education. The appreciation ceremony for body…

Developments in biology and genetics in recent decades have caused significant shifts in the understanding and conceptualization of human biological variation. Humans vary biologically in different ways, including individually, due to age, ancestry, and sex. An understanding of the complexities of all levels of biological variation is necessary…

Graduate anatomy courses should be designed based on several needs. These include preparation for how to study in medical school and other healthcare programs, integrating multiple ways of engaging with the material, including repetition for long-term retention, and training of anatomy educators. Our graduate anatomy course presents an example of…