Balancing Innovation and Living Experience: The Role and Limits of Modern Technological Approaches to Anatomy Education across Disciplines

Human anatomy, the study of the human body’s structure, is the foundation of health and medical sciences. Over time, its exploration has expanded beyond medicine, finding applications in diverse fields such as therapy, creative and performing arts, kinesiology, and engineering. Despite the widespread use of anatomical knowledge across diverse disciplines, there is a significant knowledge gap in that these various disciplines do not learn educational methods from one another; there is thus a great (and as-yet unexplored) opportunity for interdisciplinary learning and innovation. This narrative review explores the trending methods of instruction in anatomy education across disciplines, focusing on the application, successes, and limitations of modern technological tools – including 3D visualization systems, virtual and augmented reality (VR & AR), advanced imaging modalities, and 3D printing. This review also critically examines how state-of-the-art technology commonly overshadows living anatomy, where our own bodies are the original instructional tool of anatomical education. By integrating insights from multiple disciplines, this narrative review offers insight on how living anatomy can complement the innovative technological advancements, and why it would manifest as a balanced, holistic approach to teaching and learning human anatomy.