Revolutionizing Competency: How virtual dissection tables can enhance skill acquisition in anatomy education
Competency, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is the possession of sufficient knowledge or skill. A physician’s effectiveness is largely determined by their skill set. Recognizing this, the National Medical Commission of India introduced the Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum in 2019. Since then, medical educators across the country have been working to effectively integrate the core tenets of CBME into practice. Anatomy, a fundamental aspect of medical education, is crucial for diagnosing conditions, performing surgical procedures, conducting radiological examinations, and physically examining patients. Friedrich Tiedmann aptly noted that: "Doctors without anatomy are like moles. They work in the dark and the work of their hands are mounds." Despite its critical importance, anatomy education has historically relied on dissection of human cadavers or textbooks. However, studies have highlighted a decline in undergraduate knowledge and ski...