Protocol Development for Digisection: Making a Case for Standardizing Educational Technology Use for Digital Dissection and Anatomical Studies

The changes that have characterized advancements in anatomical sciences and medical education have significantly influenced pedagogies and the mode of delivery of teaching and training in the context of medical education. Another reality is the impact of educational technology (EdTech) penetration and integration into medical sciences and education. These events have undoubtedly influenced certain traditional practices and pedagogies including dissection. For example, EdTech and innovations have introduced virtual human images and three-dimensional (3D) human body representations for the purposes of teaching and dissection. Another instance includes the fact that the old dissection guides for gross anatomy, which follow the traditional regional anatomy approach, are often challenging to adapt to the relatively modern medical school curriculum that has embraced the integration philosophy. It is apparent that one practical and realistic way to provide an adapted and effective guide for anatomical dissections under various curricular philosophies and contexts would be to develop de novo protocols or adapt existing ones. Protocol development would be a vital component of the modern anatomist toolkit. This article presents the basic considerations and practical approach, including underpinning principles, to developing virtual dissection protocols using a digital 3D dissection facility, the Anatomage table (Anatomage Inc., California, United States of America), as a case study.