3D Printed anatomical specimens enhance learning for NTU medical students
The National Technological University of Singapore (NTU) is pioneering the use of 3D printed anatomical specimens for medical students in learning through the use of a Stratasys Object500 Connex3 3D Printer.
The Objet500 Connex3 was the first 3D printer to simultaneously 3D print multiple colors and materials, and the myriad of available material blend and color combinations enable more life-like parts to be produced with high precision.
This initiative began last month and came about as a collaboration between the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) and NTU’s Singapore Centre for 3D Printing. With the collaboration, medical students from NTU have begun using the 3D printed specimens as part of their learning journey.
With the ability to mimic the properties of anatomical structures in a real human body – a first in Singapore, the made-in-NTU 3D printed specimens which come in varying materials, colors, hardness, and flexibility, will be a great boost in helping medical students to get in tandem with the influx of digital technologies permeating the medical education landscape.
The 3D printed anatomical specimens are just one of many innovative learning tools that LKCMedicine is looking into for their medical students to tap on. Other pedagogical approaches include a medical tutor that’s power by AI (artificial intelligence) and a mobile application where virtual 3D animated specimens can be accessed.
The innovative learning tools were showcased at the Transform MedicalEducation (Transform MedEd) 2018, an inaugural two-day conference (9 – 10 Nov) jointly organized with Imperial College London, where new pedagogical approaches and the latest technologies shaping the future of medical education and healthcare practice were shared and discussed.
Since 2010, LKCMedicine has employed innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, 3D printing, augmented reality, and the best teaching practices to deliver a modern medical education for their students.
(Photos: NTU FaceBook)
