Purpose
The six-week Discovery Learning elective at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED) allows first-year medical students to select immersion opportunities aligned with their interests, such as Global Studies, Clinical Immersion, Research Immersion, or Self-designed Study. This aims to enhance engineering-infused medical education through real-world application. In the traditional medical curriculum, students learn anatomy through cadaver dissection. However, the branches of the internal iliac artery and sacral nerves are confined, requiring specific dissection skills. Given the importance of understanding pelvic anatomy for exams and clerkships, 3D modeling/printing offers an innovative approach to understanding these structures. In this study, a first-year medical student used Discovery Learning to create 3D models and prints of these structures to support anatomy education.

Methods
Maya (Autodesk), a 3D modeling software, was used to design the branches of the internal iliac artery and the sacral nerves, guided by 3D models of the female pelvis, pelvic organs, and pelvic floor. Fusion 360 (Autodesk), another 3D modeling software, refined these models. The designs were printed using a Bambu Lab X1C 3D Printer and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filaments.

Results
In the fall of 2024, 3D-printed internal iliac artery and sacral nerves models were incorporated into anatomy labs for second-year medical students. Students used these 3D prints to visualize better and study the spatial relationships between these structures and the female reproductive organs. 3D modeling and printing proved to be effective educational tools, offering a valuable complement to traditional dissection.

Conclusion
The 3D models and prints created during the Discovery Learning elective experience enhanced anatomy education by providing students with an innovative, hands-on tool to reinforce their understanding of complex structures. This work highlights the role of CI MED’s medical students, or future physician innovators, in enhancing medical education and healthcare.