Preferred Modalities for Learning Gross Anatomy Practical Classes: Perception of MBBS Students

Abstract

Learning anatomy by human dissection has been an integral part of the undergraduate medical curriculum; however innovative ways of teaching anatomy as well as shortage of cadavers perplexed the continuity of dissection. Meanwhile, this study aims to delve into the preference of students towards different learning modalities available for anatomy teaching. A cross-sectional, questionnaire based study was conducted among MBBS students of first, second, final year and interns of Nepal Medical College, Attakhel, Gokarneshwor-8 from December 2025 to May 2026. Among 292 participants 56.0% were male and 44% were female. The cohort primarily consisted of 22 years medical students with age range of 18 to 28 years. The most preferred teaching modality was cadaveric dissection (81.8%) followed by Digital software (10.6%) among the respondents and was highly rated for improving anatomical understanding. Conversely, students valued prosection for time efficiency and plastic models for rapid revision. The preference of teaching modalities was significantly associated with level of study. Consequently, 78.1% of students strongly agreed that a blended approach using multiple modalities optimizes learning. Although cadaveric dissection is still regarded as the premier tool for anatomical education, medical students face significant challenges related to time and structural complexity. There is a strong student consensus that integrating dissection with digital 3D tools and synthetic models would provide a more efficient and comprehensive educational experience. Future curricula should prioritize this multimodal integration to address current learning barriers.