Osteopathic Institutions Reinvent Anatomy Education with XR 3D Visualization

Anatomy remains one of the most important and most challenging foundations of osteopathic education. But today’s DO programs face unique pressures: less curricular time for anatomy, limited access to cadaver resources, and rising expectations for virtual anatomy labs and technology-enhanced learning.

Forward-looking osteopathic institutions are responding by blending tradition with immersive XR, VR, and AR anatomy software to create anatomy labs that are interactive, efficient, and clinically relevant.

A.T. Still University: A Multimodal Anatomy Lab Experience

At A.T. Still University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, anatomy was reimagined around a multimodal model combining cadaver prosections, XR visualization, and medical imaging. Small pods of five students rotate through each station, guided by cases and quizzes on a companion app.

Using XR 3D anatomy software, students can access deep structures instantly, such as the pelvic floor, while color-coding and transparency highlight relationships often hidden in dissection. Faculty act as facilitators while students drive learning, building confidence and efficiency. After integration, exam scores improved, showing that virtual anatomy labs can enrich student-led curricula without replacing tradition.

At the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, XR has been central since the school’s founding. Faculty created four neuroanatomy labs, covering the CNS, motor and sensory pathways, cranial nerves, and brainstem, built on a Design–Detect–Discover model where students collaborate in pods around holograms.

As enrollment doubled from 90 to 200 students, KansasCOM scaled seamlessly using calibrated pods and headsets. Learning shifted from lecture-heavy to student-led discovery guided by a companion app. Students peel back hemispheres, trace pathways, and explore complex structures in 3D, making abstract concepts tangible while linking anatomy directly to osteopathic manipulative medicine and hands-on practice.

Insights for Osteopathic Education

• Complement, don’t replace: XR and VR enhance dissection and imaging, not eliminate them.

• Clinical connection: Anatomy is taught in context with imaging and clinical cases.

• Faculty empowerment: Easy-to-use tools allow instructors to focus on outcomes.

• Student engagement: Interactive, group-based learning sustains interest beyond the initial “wow factor.”

For osteopathic schools, XR isn’t just an anatomy AR app, it’s a way to prepare students for practice in a healthcare system increasingly reliant on imaging, teamwork, and advanced visualization. Students enter the lab more confident, connect anatomy to clinical practice earlier, and sustain mastery in less time.

Ready to Transform Anatomy Learning at Your Institution?

See how institutions like A.T. Still University and KansasCOM are leading the reinvention of anatomy education. Request a guided demo of HoloAnatomy® to explore how 3D anatomy software and virtual anatomy labs can strengthen your curriculum and support your mission of preparing empathetic, practice-ready physicians.