The application of 3D printing in anatomy education

Modern medical education relies on a wealth of resources as one of the key elements in developing students' clinical competencies. Acquiring these resources represents a considerable challenge for many medical schools, not only for financial but also a variety of other reasons, including ethical, legal, and cultural. Obtaining human tissue, in particular, faces many constraints, which, in some countries and cultural circles, create serious problems for medical educators. However, modern technology seems to offer solutions in acquisition of at least some of the resources. Among the new technologies that have in recent years entered the biomedical fields in research, practice, and education are the rapid prototyping techniques, particularly as applied in three-dimensional (3D) printing. In this paper, using an example from Australia's Macquarie University and Western Sydney University, we outline how 3D printing can be successfully used in anatomy education. Utilisation of 3D printing is a part of the long-term educational project at both these institutions, including fields as diverse as medicine, arts, and sciences. In anatomy, the first stage of the project, described here, focused on producing highly accurate 3D prints of human bones.