Bridging Textbooks and Tomorrow: Kuczek’s Award-Winning Virtual Reality Anatomy Education

Jenna Kuczek, a PhD student and graduate teaching associate at The Ohio State University College of Medicine Division of Anatomy, set out to develop a curriculum that bridges the gap between textbook learning and the dynamic realities of clinical practice. After realizing her passion for anatomy education after clinical rotations in medical school, Kuczek wanted learners to have hands-on experience in the medical field so they can make informed decisions about their future sooner. Now, through her pioneering work with immersive technology, she is not only transforming her classroom but also setting a new standard for anatomy education.

Exploration  

Kuczek learned about VR technologies from Ohio State medical students she tutored. Curious about how she could bring this technology to the university’s undergraduate students, she reached out to ETI Coordinator Mo Duncan and soon immersed herself in the Anatomy Visualization Zone, a cutting-edge environment equipped with devices like a Sectra table and virtual reality (VR) headsets. In summer 2024, she led 10 undergraduate students through basic VR exercises, such as looking at the thorax and abdomen using the Sectra table and VR headsets.

The Anatomy Visualization Zone represented a leap beyond traditional education. Here, anatomical concepts were not just read — they could be observed in three dimensions, dissected virtually and experienced interactively. Recognizing the potential of these tools, Kuczek led a pilot exercise in summer 2024, guiding 10 students through explorations of thoracic and abdominal structures in VR. The overwhelmingly positive response from students confirmed what she had suspected: immersive technology had the power to deepen understanding and ignite passion for anatomy.

“I want new experiences for the students,” said Kuczek. “Something I’m really passionate about is bridging the gap between the classroom and the clinical realm."

Solution  

Emboldened by her pilot’s success, Kuczek set out to weave VR technology into the very fabric of her PhD dissertation project. Her goal was to craft a curriculum where memorization gave way to visualization, and where the barriers between classroom and clinic would fall away. Drawing on immersive tools provided by the ETI, she built a pre-lab curriculum for her spring 2025 clinical anatomy class. This curriculum used the Sectra table — a 56x32-inch interactive screen that allows students to manipulate and study 3D images of the human body — and Meta Quest 3 headsets that facilitated a virtual dissection experience and a preview to surgical simulation procedures in the donor lab.

To maximize the impact during the limited hour and a half of class time available for her 38 students, Kuczek innovated further. She produced video tutorials in advance, familiarizing students with the technology before they entered the lab. Students not only explored layered systems — starting with bones, then ligaments, then muscles — but were also provided guided worksheets, ensuring that each virtual journey was structured and purposeful. The software’s educational labeling made identification and comprehension accessible, even for those with limited prior experience.

Kuczek’s conviction, echoed in her dissertation, is that “early exposure and mastery of these concepts may help improve student confidence and performance later in their career.” By integrating 3D visualization and interactive learning, she sought to make anatomy accessible, intuitive and engaging for a new generation of learners.

Experience  

Kuczek’s dedication and innovation did not go unnoticed. She became the recipient of the prestigious Sam Drogo Technology in the Classroom Award, recognizing her innovative use of VR in clinical anatomy instruction at the ETI. This accolade led her to the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) Annual Conference in May 2025, where she presented her curriculum and conducted a workshop for educators eager to replicate her success.

Her influence extends far beyond a single classroom. After the spring semester, students requested open VR study hours in the Anatomy Visualization Zone — a testament to their enthusiasm and the technology’s impact. Kuczek responded by planning flexible, independent VR sessions for physical therapy and occupational therapy graduate students in summer 2025. “I wanted to give this student population a new experience with the VR,” said Kuczek. She is already working with other Ohio State anatomy instructors to explore broader adoption of immersive learning.

Kuczek is continuing to expand the reach of her methods by redefining what is possible in anatomy education. The Ohio State Department of Neuroscience invited Kuczek to lead neuroanatomy VR sessions at their June, 2025 Explorations in Neuroscience Camp for high school juniors and seniors interested in neuroscience. Kuczek shares of her camp experience: “It was super fun and exciting to immerse the younger generation (high schoolers) into the virtual reality world!”

By fusing cutting-edge technology with pedagogical insight, she empowers students to visualize, interact with and truly understand the human body. Her story is one of vision and perseverance — a promise that tomorrow’s doctors and therapists will be equipped not only with knowledge, but with confidence, curiosity and a deeper connection to their field.

Preliminary Outcomes and Student Perspectives

The promise of immersive anatomy education is more than theoretical — preliminary data from Kuczek’s implementation of VR and 3D visualization in clinical anatomy bears its transformative impact. In a recent semester, students engaged in structured cycles of virtual exploration and simulated surgical procedures on donors, with students completing surveys before and after each session assessing for confidence, spatial reasoning, and regional anatomy knowledge. The preliminary results were striking. After participating in the VR lab, students showed notable increases in their ability to correctly answer questions about anatomical relationships and the identification of key structures. Confidence soared, with even greater gains following hands-on experiences in the simulated surgical labs..

Specifically, surveys conducted for the neck region revealed that 94% of students agreed the VR/Sectra lab session prepared them for simulated surgeries in the donor lab, while 88% reported enjoying the experience. An overwhelming 94% stated the session provided a clearer 3D mental map and boosted their confidence in anatomical visualization ahead of real-life procedures. Most notably, 97% agreed that the combined use of VR/Sectra and simulated surgery in the donor lab further strengthened their spatial visualization abilities.

These early results underscore the value of integrating technology into anatomy education: students not only performed better on knowledge and visualization tasks but also reported feeling more prepared and engaged. The overwhelmingly positive feedback has inspired efforts to deepen and expand these approaches in future courses, affirming Kuczek’s vision that immersive, interactive learning can help the next generation of clinicians move beyond rote memorization to true anatomical mastery.