Why Anatomy Still Matters: A Doctor’s Perspective on Reviving Interest in a Foundational Subject

By Dr. Sumbul MBBS, MD Anatomy

A few days back, my husband was dropping me off at my department. I casually mentioned that the students passing by on the university road are all taught by me in their 1st-year MBBS class. To this, he responded that I have contributed to making so many young doctors. I was taken aback by this remark. That offhand comment made me realize how overlooked my own subject — anatomy — has become in today’s clinical education.

Being a doctor was a childhood dream of mine. My father was a doctor, and I had seen him attending to patients ever since I could remember. Being a doctor always meant treating patients, prescribing medicines to them, and healing them. Like every other medical aspirant, I too always had this picture in my mind. Even after completing MBBS, I never thought I would opt for a pre-clinical branch for my post-graduation. It was not until my college allotment in NEET PG counselling that I considered going for an MD in Anatomy.

After five years in the department, I’ve come to realize how underrated our subject is. There are several factors responsible for this. Let's analyze them and try to change them.

Why Is There a Lack of Enthusiasm Among Today’s Graduates?

Although anatomy is still the foundation of medical sciences and serves as the basis for both radiological diagnosis and surgical procedures, its importance is becoming less and less recognized. This lack of interest has a complicated cause.

The declining popularity of anatomy has been attributed to several factors:

• Reduced direct patient contact

• Comparatively slower career advancement
  

• Less immediate financial rewards associated with preclinical specializations
  

• Traditional teaching methods like cadaveric dissection
  

• Formaldehyde exposure during dissections
  

• Poor integration of modern teaching methods
  

• Low awareness of anatomy’s career potential

Anatomy Still Has a Place in Medicine: It’s Time We Gave It Another Look

Anatomy is the foundation of all clinical practice; good anatomical knowledge is necessary for accurate diagnosis and precise surgery.

• Serves as a bridge connecting clinical and basic sciences: Anatomy is a vital connection between clinical medicine, pathology, and physiology.
  

• Essential for a good physical examination: Knowledge of anatomical structures is crucial for performing a comprehensive examination and formulating an accurate diagnosis.
  

• Crucial for radiology and imaging: A strong foundation in anatomy is essential for accurately interpreting radiological images, as accurate readings of CT, MRI, and ultrasound depend on precise anatomical knowledge.
  

• Vital in surgery and surgical innovations: Surgical procedures cannot be performed without a thorough understanding of anatomy. Recent advancements, such as robotic and minimally invasive surgeries, heavily rely on precise anatomical knowledge.

Changing the Narrative: How We Can Spark Interest Again

• Role of educators: The most important step will be to create interest among the students by clarifying what the subject has to offer. Highlighting the clinical relevance of anatomy is crucial to developing interest among students. Faculty and anatomy educators play a vital role in generating this interest. The subject should be taught in an interesting and engaging way, with the use of modern technology.
  

• More hands-on experience: Anatomy should continue to offer interesting classes and practical lab experiences that develop transferable abilities like critical thinking. ^[1]
  

• Use of modern tools: Using 3D models, virtual reality, AI, and interactive apps in addition to conventional teaching methods would increase interest among tech-savvy students.
  

• Highlight career opportunities: It's important for the field to actively highlight potential career paths and create more spaces for networking, so that students can better understand the wide range of professional opportunities anatomy has to offer.
  

• Integrate clinical relevance: From a curriculum perspective, anatomy instruction in many US medical schools has been changed to highly integrated, system-based courses that prioritize clinically relevant material and active learning.² Similar methods should be adopted in the MBBS and PG curriculum in India.
  

• Introducing superspecialisation programs: Superspecialty programs like DM degrees in Neuroanatomical Sciences, Clinical Embryology, and Cytogenetics must be introduced by regulatory bodies.² This will further enhance the value of anatomy and draw the attention of medical graduates to opt for the subject for their post-graduation.

Conclusion

Anatomy is the cornerstone of safe, efficient, and compassionate medical care; it is much more than just the study of structures. We shouldn't allow this essential element of medicine to be disregarded, despite shifts in curriculum and the increased focus on clinical training. By integrating modern education tools, incorporating the clinical aspect into the subject, and explaining the career path for pursuing the subject, we can reintroduce the lost essence of the field. We need to shift the narrative because anatomy is, and always will be, relevant.

References:

1. Wilson, A. B., Notebaert, A. J., Schaefer, A. F., Moxham, B. J., Stephens, S., Mueller, C., et al. "A Look at the Anatomy Educator Job Market: Anatomists Remain in Short Supply." Anatomical Sciences Education 13, no. 1 (2020): 91–101.
   

2. Patra, Apurba, N. B. Pushpa, and Kumar Satish Ravi. "Revitalizing Interest among MBBS Graduates in Pursuing Anatomy as Career Option: A Timely Necessity." National Journal of Clinical Anatomy 14, no. 2 (Apr–Jun 2025): 47–48. https://doi.org/10.4103/NJCA.NJCA_82_25

_MSM/SE