Gut It Out: An Anatomy Card Game and Study Tool for Medical Students

Abstract

Gamification in medical education involves integrating game principles—including mechanics, design, or experiences—into a learning context. Game‐based approaches in higher education have been shown to improve student engagement, motivation, and performance when applied effectively. Many medical students report feeling overwhelmed by the complexity and content‐heavy nature of anatomy, making it an ideal subject for gamification. In this project, we developed and designed an educational anatomy card game intended for medical students.Students in the inaugural cohort of the Certificate in Biomedical Visualization and Communication (BMVC) at the University of British Columbia teamed up with the Hackspace for Immersive Virtual Experiences (HIVE) and faculty advisors for their capstone project. The team collected survey responses from current medical students to determine desirable game features and dynamics, followed by several rounds of prototyping and piloting. The students also enlisted the help of a subject matter expert in game design.The final card game, entitled “Gut it Out”, is appropriate for players possessing any level of anatomy knowledge, with optional mechanics designed for medical students. Gameplay involves players competing to build fully innervated and vascularized organs. Organ cards specify the number of blood vessel cards (arteries and veins) and nerve cards (somatic, sympathetic, and parasympathetic) required for completion. Additional clinical cards can be played to gain advantages or sabotage opponents. An optional gameplay component challenges players to name each blood vessel and nerve associated with the organs they have completed in exchange for double points. Aesthetics feature a high‐contrast colour palette and bold, simple organ illustrations. The team developed multiple versions of the rules that are currently being play tested by medical students and anatomists. Future directions include incorporating an interactive augmented reality component to enrich the educational value of the organ cards and conducting a mixed methods study to assess the efficacy of the game as a study tool.“Gut it Out” applies gamification to anatomy education to create a fun and educational card game featuring accessible, fast‐paced gameplay. This game was designed to complement and expand the current ecosystem of anatomy resources hosted by the HIVE.