Anatomy Outreach Through the World Anatomy Day Celebration in Universiti Sains Malaysia

Abstract

Anatomy literacy among the medical community and general public appears to be declining, so the demand to create awareness of the importance of anatomy knowledge is increasing. The World Anatomy Day (WAD) celebration was launched in 2019 to acknowledge and advertise the importance of anatomy knowledge in the medical field. The Department of Anatomy in the School of Medical Sciences at Universiti Sains Malaysia took the initiative by organising WAD events before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the COVID-19 restrictions, WAD had been celebrated as a live event by the lecturers and students who were gathered at the Anatomy Museum. During the pandemic, however, the event was hosted via an online platform. This commentary describes the benefits and challenges of this outreach for the stakeholders of anatomy education and the implications of the WAD celebration on anatomical sciences education.