The following article investigates the effect of advanced educational tools—virtual reality (Oculus) and the Sectra virtual anatomy table—on medical students’ motivation in learning anatomy. Conducted at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, the research involved 90 first-semester medical students divided into two groups, each utilizing one of the technologies during anatomy sessions. Motivation was assessed using the Reduced Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (RIMMS). Focus on aspects such as attention, accuracy, confidence, and satisfaction. Of the four variables analyzed in the RIMMS questionnaire (attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction), it was noted that the highest p-value of the independent variables is 0.0000, which corresponded to TOTAL SATISFACTION. The findings suggest that immersive technologies like virtual reality can substantially enhance student motivation and learning experiences in medical education.

Medical students experience fluctuations in their motivation, influenced by various factors, including curricular rigor, mental health, and institutional factors. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Four Pillars of Academic Engagement (HPEE), this study, conducted at a private Mexican university, examined motivational variation according to academic year, curricular impact, gender differences, and its relationship with mental health. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using qualitative tools for contextualization (n = 1326). Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, logistic regression, and psychological network analysis were performed. Results: Motivation showed cross-sectional variation: high in preclinical years 1 and 2, decreasing in clinical years 3 and 4 (p < 0.001), and rebounding in year 6. The reformed curriculum (elective subjects, student-centered active learning) resulted in greater motivation (OR = 10.68, p < 0.001). Women tended to have slightly higher motivation (p = 0.050), higher grade point averages (p < 0.001), but also greater stress (p < 0.001). Network analysis revealed that intrinsic achievement (centrality = 1.11) and curiosity about knowledge (predictability = 84.5%) are the main drivers, while demotivation was linked to the later years. The qualitative part of the study showed altruism/curiosity as the main motivators; mistreatment/workload (demotivators). Conclusions: Motivation is context-sensitive, peaks in the preclinical stage, and recovers with autonomy but is vulnerable during clinical immersion. Autonomy in course selection, active student-centered pedagogies, and gender-sensitive support foster sustained participation. The centrality of intrinsic factors in the network highlights that achievement motivation and knowledge are general and independent motivators. Qualitative data reveal systemic barriers. Stage-specific interventions, such as mentoring, student support programs, and reporting mistreatment, can be crucial for strengthening resilience and performance. Longitudinal and multi-institutional studies are needed to validate the causality and generalizability of this study.

Innovations have been made to educational strategies in health sciences to increase intrinsic motivation in students which helps generate a significant and active learning in students with the help of methodologies, such as gamification, using escape rooms (ER) and the use of digital tools, such as the Sectra Table. The objective of this study is to determine the correlation of motivation in medical students using the Sectra Table digital tool versus nursing students who implemented escape rooms in anatomy sessions. This study was carried out at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. It is a cross-sectional study using a descriptive analysis technique for comparing samples. With a convenience sample of 72 students from the medicine and nursing program, subjecting medicine students to Sectra Table learning and nursing students to escape rooms determining the level of motivation using the RIMMS questionnaire with an alpha greater than .81 for all constructs having as independent variables, confidence, attention, relevance and satisfaction. We performed a statistical analysis by a two-sample comparison model. Obtaining that “escape room” presented higher levels of motivation and with a p-value of 0.0000 satisfaction presented greater motivation levels. Gamification prepares today’s society and helps them acquire professional skills that prepare them for life.

The integration of non-immersive digital technologies into anatomy education has expanded substantially; however, their relationship with students’ academic motivation remains underexplored. This study examined the association between two non-immersive instructional modalities (Sectra^® Table and Complete Anatomy^®) and academic motivation among medical students, framed within Keller’s ARCS model. An analytical cross-sectional quasi-experimental design was utilized with 109 participants, whose group allocation was determined by existing curricular organization (LMC13: Sectra^® Table; LMC23: Complete Anatomy^®). Academic motivation was assessed using the Reduced Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (RIMMS), which evaluates attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. Due to non-normal data distribution and variance heterogeneity, group differences were analyzed using permutation multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). The analysis revealed significant differences between instructional groups (R² = 0.17, p = 0.001). Students in the Complete Anatomy^® group reported higher motivational scores across domains, with the largest difference observed in confidence (R² = 0.10). Although effect sizes were modest, the findings indicate that differences in accessibility and opportunities for autonomous interaction are related to variations in motivational engagement in technology-enhanced anatomy learning contexts. These results highlight the importance of considering motivational constructs when comparing instructional design approaches. Future longitudinal and controlled studies are needed to further examine these associations and their potential educational implications.

Social Interdependence Theory posits that cooperative behavior emerges when individuals perceive that their outcomes depend on the actions of others, a dynamic that is central to collaborative learning in medical education. Professional identity formation is recognized as a key developmental process during early medical training; however, quantitative evidence examining its association with collaborative interdependence in preclinical cohorts remains limited. This cross-sectional, correlational, non-experimental study examined the associations between perceived social interdependence and professional identity among 108 fourth-semester medical students enrolled in a Musculoskeletal and Integumentary System course. Professional identity was assessed using the Professional Identity Questionnaire, and social interdependence was measured using the Social Interdependence in Collaborative Learning Scale. To explore the relationship between these constructs, we conducted a series of descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The results indicated generally high levels of professional attachment and a strong sense of belonging to the medical profession. Dimensions of social interdependence, particularly boundary interdependence and collaborative work, showed strong positive associations, while professional identity was also positively related to attachment. Regression analyses further suggested that collaborative work remained independently associated with professional identity after accounting for relevant sociodemographic and vocational factors. These findings indicate that positive interdependence—particularly group cohesion and shared boundaries—is associated with higher levels of professional identity. Strengthening collaborative learning structures in early medical education may support students’ sense of belonging, norm internalization, and commitment to the medical profession.