# Bridging the gap: a survey of resident physicians’ needs for cross-sectional anatomy education and a collaborative teaching framework

## TL;DR

This study identifies a lack of cross-sectional anatomy training among resident physicians and proposes a collaborative teaching framework to improve clinical imaging skills.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a collaborative education framework to address cross-sectional anatomy training gaps in medical curricula.

## Key findings

- 74% of resident physicians reported no formal cross-sectional anatomy training despite high clinical needs.
- Residents preferred collaborative teaching, blended formats, and 3D imaging for effective learning.
- Surgery residents showed the highest urgency for cross-sectional anatomy education.

## Abstract

Cross-sectional anatomy is essential for clinical imaging interpretation, yet many medical curricula lack systematic training for clinical students. This study assessed needs among resident physicians and proposed a collaborative education framework.

A cross-sectional survey of 130 resident physicians from Zhejiang University-affiliated hospitals (June-August 2025) evaluated knowledge gaps, clinical challenges, and preferences using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression.

Of 130 respondents (53% female, 58% aged 26–30), 74% reported no formal cross-sectional anatomy training, despite 88% citing high clinical needs. Top challenges included anatomical positioning (45%), with surgery residents showing greatest urgency (95%). Preferences favored clinical-basic science collaboration (64% “very important”), blended online-offline formats (57%), and 3D imaging (71%).

Significant educational gaps persist in cross-sectional anatomy, underscoring the need for collaborative models integrating clinical cases and technology. This framework can guide curriculum reforms to enhance imaging competency and patient safety in global medical education.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-026-08567-3.