Name: Open Access 3D Printed Anatomical Models for Health Sciences Education
Start: 2026-10-09T16:15:00-0400
End: 2026-10-09T16:30:00-0400

All sessions are available online except round tables and special activities.

Open Access 3D Printed Anatomical Models for Health Sciences Education

Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT

Video

ID: 33981

Human anatomy is foundational to health science education and a core course in many undergraduate degree programs, including pre-med, pre-nursing, pre-dental, biomedical engineering, kinesiology, and exercise science. Anatomy instruction relies heavily on hands-on 3D tools, including human cadaveric body and organ donation, plastic models, and skeleton models, which are essential for teaching anatomical relationships and spatial reasoning. While these tactile resources are among the most important pedagogically, they are also the most expensive (ranging from $100 - $10,000 per model), a burden which increases lab fees for students and makes them financially inaccessible for many institutions. The recent explosion of 3D printing technology has the potential to revolutionize anatomy education by lowering the cost of anatomical models, thereby improving access to resources across health sciences programs. The Modern Human Anatomy Program at University of Colorado Anschutz recently launched an open-access repository, called the Colorado OER Anatomy Hub, that hosts 3D-printable models of human organs paired with teaching guides for classroom implementation. Models can be downloaded and printed for free by anyone in the world with access to a 3D printer at a fraction of the cost of commercial models. We piloted 3D printed heart and brain models in 7 anatomy courses across 5 universities in Colorado and solicited feedback through a student survey assessing helpfulness, ease of use, engagement, and satisfaction. Across 821 completed surveys, respondents rated the models highly on all measures (mean Likert scores: 4.0–4.2 out of 5), with 78–87% agreeing or strongly agreeing that the models aided spatial visualization, were easy to use, enhanced engagement, and positively contributed to their learning experience. Moreover, 82% of students recommended the 3D printed models for future students and provided suggestions for modifications and improvements. This presentation will discuss these findings along with the theoretical, practical, and ethical considerations for 3D printing in anatomy education. Ultimately, we aim to empower educators to develop, use, and share OER 3D printed organ models to enhance student access and engagement in health sciences education.

Speakers

Steven Summers

Medical Student, University of Colorado Anschutz

Steven Summers is a Medical Student attending the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz. He has interest in 3D printing, student education and mentoring, and ophthalmology.

Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video

Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

Speaker Modality Online
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

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OEGlobal 2026

Steven Summers

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OEGlobal 2026

Steven Summers

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