Kuczek Wins Award for VR Integration in Anatomy Education

Kuczek Wins Award for VR in Anatomy Education 

PhD Student and Graduate Teaching Associate at The Ohio State University Jenna Kuczek was in her second year of medical school when she realized her passion for “bridging the gap between textbook knowledge and clinical experiences.” Based on her education journey, Kuczek saw a need to integrate classroom learning and real-world clinical experiences earlier to help students interested in healthcare careers discover what type of medicine interests them sooner.

After hearing about the EdTech Incubator (ETI) from medical students she was tutoring, Kuczek reached out to ETI Coordinator Mo Duncan to learn more about the space and educational opportunities. After getting trained on the Sectra table and VR headsets in the ETI’s Anatomy Visualization Zone, Kuczek led ten students enrolled in summer 2024 courses through a basic exercise where they looked at structures of the thorax and abdomen in virtual reality (VR) using the Sectra table and VR headsets.

With a successful pilot exercise, Kuczek chose to incorporate the technology into her PhD dissertation project by building a curriculum around immersive learning—saying, “Instead of having students memorize from the book, I wanted them to be able to visualize the anatomy better.”

Award-Winning Work at the ETI 

Kuczek—who currently teaches anatomy to undergraduate, physical therapy, occupational therapy and medical students—won the Sam Drogo Technology in the Classroom Award for innovative use of VR at the ETI in her clinical anatomy course. To receive her award, Kuczek will attend the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) Annual Conference in May 2025.

For undergraduates with limited lab time, 3D visualization and spatial relationships of anatomical structures can be difficult to comprehend, and Kuczek hypothesizes in her dissertation, “Early exposure and mastery of these concepts may help improve student confidence and performance later in their career.” To provide immersive learning experiences for undergraduate students in her spring 2025 clinical anatomy class, Kuczek created a pre-lab curriculum to help students understand different anatomical systems better before they go into the anatomy lab.

The first technology used was the Sectra table, a 56x32-inch interactive screen that allows students to examine and manipulate 3D images of the human body. The interactive element allows students to see different systems from all angles and layer additional systems to see how everything is positioned together. For example, students started with knee bones, then added on ligaments, then muscles. Using Meta Quest 3 headsets, students were able to perform virtual dissection and see important anatomical structures and surgical landmarks before doing simulated surgical procedures on donor bodies. Students were also given guided worksheets with directives to find specific structures and could easily identify what they were looking at because the software has the systems labeled for educational assistance.

With only 1.5 hours of class time and 38 students, Kuczek wanted to maximize how long students could use the technology by helping them acclimate in advance. To create a smooth immersive lab experience, Kuczek recorded video tutorials of the Sectra table and VR equipment that students could look at ahead of time.

Expanding Immersive Learning Education and Teaching Others to do the Same 

While at the HAPS Annual Conference, Kuczek will present a workshop on her award-winning anatomy curriculum. The workshop outlines the use of virtual reality technology followed by simulated surgical procedures on donors for undergraduate anatomy courses, and discusses how to build guided VR and 3D activities followed by simulated surgery experiences for hands-on learning.

Following the spring semester, Kuczek planned flexible VR sessions in the Anatomy Visualization Zone after clinical anatomy students asked to come into the zone for independent study. The first open study hours in the zone will be during summer 2025 classes. Kuczek also plans to explore how other Ohio State anatomy instructors can integrate VR into their courses.

As Kuczek continues to innovate and expand the possibilities of immersive learning in anatomy education, her work sets a new standard for how technology can enhance student understanding and engagement. By pioneering the integration of virtual reality and 3D technologies into her curriculum, she not only provides students with valuable hands-on experiences but also inspires educators worldwide to embrace cutting-edge methods for teaching complex subjects. Her dedication to improving anatomical education promises a future where students are better equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to excel in their medical careers.