Anatomy Study Preferences of Medical Students in Relation to Gender, Academic Year and Geographical Distribution: Considerations for Anatomy Education Approaches

Background: Medical students' perceptions of anatomical teaching methods have influenced their educational experiences. Nonetheless, differing study preferences together with regional characteristics have resulted in a variety of teaching methods that lack consistency. Method: This cross-sectional study involved a survey of 2001 medical students (859 males and 1142 females) aged between 18 and 33 years, with a mean age of 20.5 ± 1.6 years. Participants were drawn from 35 schools across six Turkish regions. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics, anatomical study preferences, and resources. Results: Significant differences in study methods and resource preferences were observed across academic years, with 78% of second-year, 69.4% of first-year, and 73% of third-year students preferring individual studies (X² = 15.694; p = 0.003). Regular repetition was predominant in Southeastern Anatolia (27.4%) and Central Anatolia (24.4%); encoding for memorization was predominant in the Aegean region (20.9%); and correlation of structures with relations was predominant in the Mediterranean (20.5%) and Southeastern Anatolia (21.9%) regions (X² = 90.745; p < 0.05). Conclusion: In the current study, not only the gender but also the geographical distribution of respondents from 35 medical schools across six regions of Turkey offers valuable insights into how educational contexts influence study habits and preferences. Integrating region-specific teaching methodologies or adapting curriculum resources to align with local preferences may enhance student engagement and retention.