Students’ Opinion on The Use of The Anatomage Table In Anatomy Learning At The University Of Rwanda

Abstract Introduction: Anatomy is a major course taken by medical and dental surgery students in their preclinical year, serving as the foundation for patient care in clinical practice. Many preclinical students find anatomy challenging and abstract, highlighting the need for educators to adopt innovative teaching methods, such as utilizing 3D technologies like the Anatomage table. This study aimed to assess the student’s opinion on the use of the anatomage table technology on anatomy learning at the University of Rwanda. Methodology: This cross-sectional study involved 118 first-year preclinical students at the Huye campus of the University of Rwanda. After a month of instruction on selected topics in the Human Anatomy II module (focusing on the trunk, pelvis, and perineum), a Google questionnaire was distributed. Students participated in 32 contact hours, including lectures and practical sessions, prior to completing the questionnaires. The reliability of the questions was assessed using Cronbach's Alpha, and responses were measured on a 5-point Likert scale (ranging from 5 for "strongly agree" to 1 for "strongly disagree"). Data were analyzed descriptively using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 21, with a significance level set at P≤0.05. Results: The Anatomage table significantly enhanced the understanding of the topics along with dissection (P≤0.05), visualization of different parts of the human body (P≤0.05), and the understanding of the anatomical relationships (P≤0.05). Conclusion: Anatomage table was helpful in facilitating understanding of the topics and relationships, as well as visualization of anatomical structures.