To Sculpt an Ear: A Practical Exercise for Teaching the Surgeon to See Form

Sculpting is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool in surgical education yet remains underutilized in formal training. This study presents a structured ear sculpting exercise designed to improve spatial awareness, manual dexterity, and 3-dimensional anatomic understanding. Medical students and plastic surgery residents participated in a hands-on workshop in which they sculpted a human ear from soap using direct observation, a 3D model, and simple sculpting tools. The exercise emphasized accurate placement, identification of key anatomic landmarks, proportionality, and viewing the ear from multiple angles. A stepwise carving process was followed, progressing from broad contours to refined anatomic forms. Common challenges included premature focus on fine details and failure to appreciate the ear’s depth in the sagittal plane, which often led to flat or unrealistic representations. Participants provided qualitative feedback indicating improved spatial reasoning and appreciation of ear anatomy. Many expressed interest in applying the approach to other anatomic regions. This low-cost, reproducible workshop offers a practical method for enhancing 3-dimensional visualization and anatomic accuracy in surgical learners.