Challenges of access to cadavers in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) for undergraduate medical teaching: a review and potential solutions in the form of 3D printed replicas

Challenges of access to cadavers in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) for undergraduate medical teaching: a review and potential solutions in the form of 3D printed replicas

Abstract The inequity of resources available for learning human anatomy, one of the basic sciences underpinning a medical or allied health training, between low- and high-income countries is stark. Many Low Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) have no access to cadavers for the study of human anatomy. In...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Paul G. McMenamin, Lucy F. Costello, Michelle R. Quayle, John F. Bertram, Aboubacar Kaka, Nakapi Tefuarani, Justin W. Adams
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:3D Printing in Medicine
Subjects:
Anatomy
LMIC
Culture
Ethics
Humanitarian aid
3D printing
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41205-025-00277-8
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Summary:Abstract The inequity of resources available for learning human anatomy, one of the basic sciences underpinning a medical or allied health training, between low- and high-income countries is stark. Many Low Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) have no access to cadavers for the study of human anatomy. In this review we try to highlight the status of anatomy education especially with regards to the barriers to accessing cadavers such as cost, local laws and regulations, religious beliefs and cultural mores. Many of these barriers are more acute in LMIC. We discuss possible solutions to the shortage of cadaver material and specifically we detail 3 case studies in which authors from high income countries can assist colleagues in LMIC institutions teach anatomy using 3D printed replicas of human dissections. The case for this assistance is made and its practical application together with its evaluation is presented. The case studies include medical schools in Liberia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The outcomes suggest this model could be expanded to other countries who lack the economic resources to adequately provide learning materials for undergraduate students in medicine and other allied health disciplines.
ISSN:2365-6271

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