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Creativity is widely accepted to be a valuable skill to hone, but it is often difficult to define and even more difficult to measure. Artistic endeavors and creativity have historically had a close relationship with the sciences. However, recent trends have largely removed creativity from scientific inquiry and education. This shift has led to a large proportion of the coursework in anatomy fields to be strictly delivered via textbook and lecture and learning only gauged through quizzes and examinations. In the current work, we examined the assigning of creative projects during two semesters of a large undergraduate anatomy course at the University of Kentucky. We describe the showcasing of these creative works in both in-person and virtual formats. Future work will explore long-term impacts on student humanitarianism and professionalism as a result of the creative assignments.

Introduction In 2020, as classroom environments shifted abruptly from in‐person offerings to largely Zoom‐mediated learning spaces in response to COVID‐19 restrictions, educators were challenged to engage students behind the box. Moreover, the unplanned and sustained lack of physical classroom interaction disrupted the learning community, a factor that contributes to higher student satisfaction and achievement. Our objective was to engage students with their peers and class material in the virtual learning environment. Methods: Zoom was used to deliver two distinct classroom events: a virtual showcase in an undergraduate systems‐based anatomy course and a student symposium on sociocultural influences on gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and conditions in a second‐year integrated medical GI & Nutrition course. The undergraduate virtual showcase featured abstract art of neurodegenerative diseases that correlated with topics in nervous system anatomy. Students used a variety of media, such as canvas paintings, sketches, and clay molds, to communicate the anatomy relevant to their disease topic and their interpretation of the effects of this disease on the patient and their families. During the virtual showcase, students viewed a rotating slide‐show of the work of their peers and completed a reflection assignment. For the second project, students were organized into small groups of 5 or 6 and asked to interview multiple stakeholders involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of a disease of their choosing within predetermined categories, such as oral/pharyngeal health or chronic liver disease. Each student interviewed a person with a unique narrative related to the disease and the group creatively synthesized their findings. For example, one group role‐played the experience of the patient from initial diagnosis of colon cancer with their doctor to the follow‐up with the healthcare team and support groups. They presented perspectives from a patient, physician, family caretaker, support therapist, dietician, and colon cancer researcher. Results: The top 30 (of 135) art submissions were featured in an undergraduate anatomy showcase on Zoom. Student feedback was mostly positive, with 64% (n=135) indicating strongly agree (39%) or agree (25%) when asked if they enjoyed opportunities to be creative in the anatomy classroom. Additional artforms were requested by students. The student symposium was designed as a two‐hour mini‐conference with 206 medical students organized into 36 groups. Six groups presented concurrently every 20 minutes among six different Zoom accounts. Additionally, students signed up to attend five peer presentations. Preliminary feedback revealed several themes including a deeper appreciation of GI anatomy and the lived experience of the patient, the importance of supportive healthcare roles in patient treatment (e.g. dieticians, caregivers, community support), and pride in their peers' creative presentations.Conclusions: These projects highlight ways to foster a thriving learning community in a ...

PurposeThe objective of this study was to create various model representations of the pterygopalatine fossa. This small, deep area within the facial skeleton is difficult to conceptualize as the various openings into and out of the fossa are not clearly visible from inspection of the skull alone. The traditional method for teaching this region to the dental students at our university has been to use a two‐dimensional representation wire‐diagram that emphasizes the various fiber types that are transmitted through the fossa.MethodsUsing materials easily accessible to educators, such as paper and craft supplies, a team of anatomists, clinicians, and medical illustrators collaborated to design 3D models representing the complex region of the pterygopalatine fossa.ResultsTwo 3D models were created. Each used Wikki Stix, wax‐infused threads of various colors, to represent the sensory and autonomic fibers in the fossa. One kinesthetic model is a stylized inverted‐cone representation of the fossa that is pre‐labeled. The openings in the model were cut using a Cricut Explore One™ Machine. First‐year dental students were instructed how to arrange the Wikki‐Stix through the foramina of the fossa and how to fold the three‐dimensional cone model to incorporate these fibers. A second 3D kinesthetic model for teaching was developed alongside the simple model. The more complex 3D paper model used intervals of coronal, transverse, and sagittal sections through the skull to create the corresponding regions of communication with the pterygopalatine fossa, such as the cranial, oral, and nasal cavities and the orbit. These planes were then assembled into a free‐standing product. This model included black and white shadings of landmark structures such as the hard palate for the greater and lesser palatine nerves and the nasal cavity for the sphenopalatine (nasopalatine) nerves. This model was used to emphasize the spatial relationships of the nerves to approximate spaces within the cranium and skeleton. Dental students also crafted the Wikki‐Stix in context with the detailed 3D paper model to arrange the fibers in their target areas.ConclusionsIt is possible to produce 3D models of complex anatomical structures using basic materials. These models may be easily adopted by fellow educators as complex and expensive 3D printing tools are not required. Future research is needed to determine if these 3D models improve student outcomes compared to traditional teaching methods.