Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Jul;35(5):609-615.
doi: 10.1002/ca.23878. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Three-dimensional printing models improve long-term retention in medical education of pathoanatomy: A randomized controlled study

Nour Al-Badri  1 , Sandrine Touzet-Roumazeille  1 , Alexandra Nuytten  2 , Joël Ferri  3 , Marie-Laure Charkaluk  4   5   6 , Romain Nicot  3
Affiliations
Free article
Randomized Controlled Trial

Three-dimensional printing models improve long-term retention in medical education of pathoanatomy: A randomized controlled study

Nour Al-Badri et al. Clin Anat. 2022 Jul.
Free article

Abstract

Craniosynostosis is a rare and complex pathology, and visuospatial skills are necessary for a good understanding of the condition. While the use of three-dimensional (3D) models has improved the understanding of complex craniofacial anatomy, no study has evaluated the impact of this teaching support on long-term retention. Our randomized controlled trial was designed to compare the long-term retention of information with 3D-printed models of four types of craniosynostosis versus classic 3D reconstructions displayed in two-dimensional (2D) among undergraduate students. All students benefited from the same standardized course followed by the manipulation of the learning tool associated with the group for 15 min. Long-term retention was assessed by the capability to properly recognize different types of craniosynostosis 3 weeks after the course. Eighty-five students were enrolled. Previous educational achievements and baseline visuospatial skills were similar between the groups. The bivariate analysis showed the mean score in the 3D and 2D groups were 11.32 (2.89) and 8.08 (2.81), respectively (p < 0.0001). 3D-printed models of structures with spatial complexity such as various craniosynostosis patterns improve significantly medical students' long-term retention, indicating their educational efficacy.

Keywords: anatomy; craniosynostoses; education; medical; printing; three-dimensional.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. AlAli, A. B., Griffin, M. F., Calonge, W. M., & Butler, P. E. (2018). Evaluating the use of cleft lip and palate 3D-printed models as a teaching aid. Journal of Surgical Education, 75(1), 200-208.
    1. Bernardo, A. (2017). Virtual reality and simulation in neurosurgical training. World Neurosurgery, 106, 1015-1029.
    1. Blakely, G., Skirton, H., Cooper, S., Allum, P., & Nelmes, P. (2009). Educational gaming in the health sciences: Systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(2), 259-269.
    1. Carducci, P., Squillace, V., Manzi, G., & Truppa, V. (2020). Touch improves visual discrimination of object features in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.). Behavioural Processes, 172, 104044.
    1. Chen, S., Pan, Z., Wu, Y., Gu, Z., Li, M., Liang, Z., Zhu, H., Yao, Y., Shui, W., Shen, Z., Zhao, J., & Pan, H. (2017). The role of three-dimensional printed models of skull in anatomy education: A randomized controlled trail. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 575-511.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources