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There is an increasing need to facilitate enhanced student engagement in anatomy education. Higher education students differ in academic preferences and abilities and so, not all teaching strategies suit all students. Therefore, it is suggested that curricula design and delivery adapt to sustain learner engagement. Enhanced learner engagement is a fundamental feature of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The aim of this study is to determine if anatomy educators in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and United Kingdom (UK) are aware of UDL and to assess if, and to what extent, it has been implemented in the design and delivery of anatomy curricula for healthcare students. An anonymous online questionnaire was administered to anatomy educators in higher level institutions in the ROI and UK. Inductive content analysis was used to identify the impact of UDL on student learning, engagement, and motivation, as perceived by the participants. The response rate was 23% (n = 61). Nineteen participants stated they knew of UDL. Of these, 15 had utilized UDL in their teaching of anatomy. Analysis indicated that the perception of UDL was mixed. However, the majority of responses relating to UDL were positive. The majority of the respondents were unaware of UDL but identified the frameworks' checkpoints within their curriculum, suggesting they have unknowingly incorporated elements of UDL in their curriculum design and delivery. There is a lack of information on the benefits of explicit utilization of UDL for engagement and motivation to learn anatomy in healthcare programs in the ROI and UK., (© 2022 The Authors. Clinical Anatomy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Clinical Anatomists and British Association of Clinical Anatomists.)

Appropriate anatomy education for speech and language therapists is a crucial part of preparation for clinical practice. While much research has been conducted regarding the anatomical education of medical students, there is a paucity of evidence for speech and language therapy students. This study assessed the methods employed by a cohort of first-year speech and language therapy students to learn anatomy, their perceptions of the clinical importance of anatomy and motivation to learn anatomy (using a modified version of the motivation strategies for learning questionnaire) and how this related to potential barriers to motivation such as mental well-being (using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale [WEMWBS]). Analysis revealed that 92% of students agreed or strongly agreed that a sound knowledge of anatomy is important for clinical practice, 74% agreed or strongly agreed that listening at lectures was how they primarily learned anatomy, and 91% of students agreed or strongly agreed that they worried a great deal about tests. The latter statement was negatively correlated with a number of statements on the WEMWBS. Overall, the data revealed that first-year speech and language therapy students place importance on anatomy and its role in their future clinical practice, that they have different preferences for learning anatomy compared to medical students, and also have significant anxiety surrounding anatomy examinations. Multiple significant correlations between responses to the motivation and mental well-being questionnaires suggest that there is a significant relationship between first-year student motivation to learn anatomy and well-being., (© 2021 The Authors. Clinical Anatomy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Clinical Anatomists.)