Students' perspectives on the use of social media in anatomy medical education: A survey study.

Medical students are increasingly engaging with digital technologies for anatomy learning. However, investigations of students' perceptions of anatomy social media content are lacking. This study aims to explore medical students' perspectives of anatomy social media content and its self-reported value as a learning resource. A cross-sectional study was conducted to survey first-year medical students enrolled in Gross Anatomy. An online survey instrument was developed for this study and administered via Qualtrics. The 12-item survey collected information on demographics, general social media use, and perspectives on anatomy social media content. Of 171 students, 139 (81% response rate) completed the survey, and 124 (124/139, 89%) who actively used social media were included in subsequent analyses. Most participants spent at least 60 min per day on social media (66/124, 53%), with Instagram and TikTok being the most used platforms. These platforms were also identified as the primary sources of anatomy-related content (Instagram: 55/124, 44%; TikTok: 40/124, 32%). The majority (64/98, 65%) indicated they always or most of the time read or watch anatomy content on social media without further engagement (p < 0.001). Medical students engage with anatomy content on social media primarily through passive, incidental exposure rather than intentional learning strategies. Instagram and TikTok serve as the primary platforms for content exposure. While students reported interest in this content, these findings reflect subjective perceptions rather than objective learning outcomes. This exploratory study provides a foundation for future work evaluating the role of social media in anatomy medical education.