Videos in Anatomy Education: History, Present Usage and Future Prospects

Anatomy has a history as a critical area of study for medical and health professional programs. Over the last several decades the way in which anatomy is taught and the resources available to aid the delivery of material has evolved significantly. One of these resources has been videos, and their role in anatomy education has transformed over this time due to technological advancements and curricula reform. While there have been significant advances in video technology and their usage, there is still a scarcity of research supporting the various purposes of anatomy videos. Differences in the results of studies that have been published highlight the complexity of successfully integrated anatomy videos into curricula. However, they have been shown to be a potential supplement to reduced teaching time in anatomy, as a pre-conditioning tool prior to laboratory, and as a summary method for classes. Students perceive them as a highly important resource for revision and preparation for examinations. Further research is needed to identify the important components of anatomy videos that lead to their successful implementation. These factors seem to be important to define as many programs face reduced hours with cadaveric material and institutions utilise greater components of computer based instruction into their educational design.