THE ROLE OF VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGIES IN IMPROVING ANATOMY EDUCATION

Virtual reality is becoming an increasingly important educational technology in medical training, particularly in the teaching of human anatomy. Anatomy requires students to understand complex three-dimensional relationships among organs, vessels, nerves, muscles, bones, and anatomical spaces. Traditional teaching methods such as lectures, textbooks, atlases, plastic models, and cadaveric dissection remain essential, but they may be limited by access, time, cost, and the difficulty of repeated visualization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of virtual reality technologies in improving anatomy education and to analyze their influence on spatial understanding, student engagement, knowledge retention, and clinical orientation. A literature-based analytical method was used to examine current evidence concerning immersive and non-immersive virtual reality systems in medical anatomy education. The findings indicate that virtual reality can improve visualization of complex structures, increase active participation, support repeated independent learning, and strengthen the connection between anatomical knowledge and clinical practice. However, virtual reality should be considered a complementary educational tool rather than a complete replacement for cadaveric dissection and traditional anatomy teaching. Its effectiveness depends on appropriate pedagogical integration, technical quality, instructor guidance, and alignment with learning objectives.