The anatomy of anatomy

The relationship between anatomy and surgeryhas been historic and epic, spanning many centuries,complementing each other in medical education andbeing independent as well as interdependent in manyways. However, curricular changes that have happenedglobally in recent years with the introduction of severalcontemporary styles of medical teaching have subtlydownplayed the importance of anatomy in medicine,allowing young doctors with poor knowledge of anatomyto become surgeons. With a whimsical introduction thatmetaphorically hints at the strained relationship thatexists between anatomy and surgery, the article attemptsto explore the ‘anatomy’ of anatomy itself, examining itsorigins in recorded ancient history, evolution along thecenturies in tandem with surgery and its current status inmedical education.