Perspectives of Anatomy Education Among Osteopathic Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background Anatomy education is a foundational component of osteopathic medical training and contributes to clinical development. While prior studies have examined objective outcomes of anatomy curricular change, osteopathic medical students’ perceptions of anatomy education, including perceived retention, licensure preparedness, and influence on career interests, remain incompletely characterized. Methods A 30-question electronic survey was distributed to second-, third-, and fourth-year osteopathic medical students in the United States between October 2024 and March 2025. Survey domains included didactic and laboratory anatomy instruction, perceived retention of anatomical knowledge, perceived preparedness for the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 1 and the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, and perceived influence on specialty interests. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were used for analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all survey items. Nonparametric tests were used for group comparisons. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied for comparisons across three groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test for two-group comparisons. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Results Of 125 respondents, 116 met the inclusion criteria. Most respondents perceived their anatomy education as valuable and relevant to their training. Many reported moderate or greater perceived retention of anatomical knowledge more than one year after instruction, with no significant differences across class years. Students who perceived greater value in their anatomy education were more likely to report feeling prepared for licensure examinations. Perceived preparedness was higher for COMLEX Level 1 than for USMLE Step 1. Students pursuing surgical specialties reported a greater perceived influence of anatomy education on career interests compared with those pursuing nonsurgical fields. Conclusion Osteopathic medical students commonly perceive anatomy education as valuable and relevant, though perceptions of retention, licensure preparedness, and career influence vary. These findings reflect learner perceptions rather than objective outcomes and may inform future hypothesis-generating research and curricular considerations in osteopathic medical education. Considerations may include the integration of clinically oriented instruction, longitudinal reinforcement of anatomical concepts, and innovative teaching strategies to enhance learner engagement and perceived relevance.