Students’ opinions on the use of the anatomage table in anatomy learning at the University of Rwanda

Anatomy is a core course taken by medical and dental surgery students in their preclinical year, serving as the foundation for patient care in clinical practice. Many preclinical students find anatomy challenging and abstract, highlighting the need for educators to adopt innovative teaching methods, such as utilizing 3D technologies like the Anatomage Table. This study aimed to assess the students’ opinions on using the Anatomage Table technology in anatomy learning at the University of Rwanda. This cross-sectional study involved 118 first-year preclinical students at the Huye campus of the University of Rwanda. After a month of instruction on selected topics in the Human Anatomy II module (focusing on the trunk, pelvis, and perineum), a Google questionnaire was distributed. Students participated in 32 contact hours, including lectures and practical sessions, before completing the questionnaires. The reliability of the questions was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, and responses were measured on a 5-point Likert scale (ranging from 5 for “strongly agree” to 1 for “strongly disagree”). Data were analyzed descriptively using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 21, with a significance level set at P ≤ 0.05. Medical (83%) and dental surgery (17%) students found the Anatomage Table significantly improved topic understanding, enriched comprehension of body parts and their relationships, improved visualization, made learning more enjoyable, boosted learning and interest, and reduced learning time (P ≤ 0.05). The Anatomage Table offers a unique opportunity for human body visualization, which facilitates understanding anatomical relationships while boosting learning and interest.