Spatial and Visual Reasoning in Biomedical Education: The Possible Contributions of Anatomical Learning | Biomed Grid

Spatial visualization ability refers to the human cognitive ability to form, retrieve and manipulate mental models of spatial nature. Examples of validated tests that measure spatial ability and non-verbal reasoning ability (visual reasoning) are: Guay's visualization of views test, adapted version, mental rotations test, and Raven's advanced progressive matrices test, short form. There is currently information in the literature about how entry-level spatial and visual reasoning abilities may predict anatomy performance or may be enhanced with progression through the anatomy content in the medical curricula. It has been suggested that medical students possess higher spatial ability than science students, and show greater improvement in spatial ability scores than science students after learning gross anatomy. Gross anatomy is a discipline that requires the ability to visualize multiple cadaveric planes and allows the training of topographic orientation. This type of training may increase spatial and visual reasoning abilities in biomedical sciences education.