Why Your Body Isn’t in the Textbook (But Should Be)
What Dr. Elizabeth Co taught me about anatomical diversity and why it matters more than we think.
A couple of hours ago, I was at a roundtable discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Co. As she was speaking, a thought came to my mind and I found myself writing on my notebook a curious thought that I was not able to notice until now. “Every body is different—but textbooks pretend we’re all built the same.”
The Problem With “One-Size-Fits-All” Anatomy
Let’s start with this: if you've ever cracked open an anatomy textbook, you’ll notice they all look... the same. Smooth, sculpted, hairless bodies—usually white, male, and around 25 years old. It’s like every body in medicine went through the same Photoshop filter.
Why does this matter?
Because real human bodies aren’t carbon copies. They're wonderfully chaotic. They're old, young, tall, short, fat, thin, tattooed, pregnant, disabled, muscular, and everything in between. But for decades, medical illustrations have only represented a sliver of that range.
A 2024 study in Anatomical Sciences Education reviewed 5,001 images across 11 major anatomy textbooks and found that most images depicted light-skinned, adult male bodies, with minimal representation of women, people of color, or anyone above a “standard” BMI. That’s… not great.
Why It’s More Than Just an Image Problem
Now, here’s where it gets real. If healthcare professionals are trained to recognize conditions on just one type of body, what happens when they meet someone who doesn’t fit that mold?
Misdiagnosis.
Bias.
Delayed care.
There’s already evidence showing that diseases present differently across races, genders, and body types. For example, heart attack symptoms in women often differ from those in men—and yet, many medical illustrations still default to the male version.
Dr. Co’s point about every body is “built different” wasn’t just poetic—it was physiological. Think about anatomic variations, hormonal variations, organ positioning, or even how medications are absorbed. It’s all nuanced. And it’s all relevant.
So, What Can We Do?
The good news? Things are starting to change.
New platforms and anatomy illustrators are pushing for diversity. There’s even a growing movement to “decolonize” anatomy education—expanding it to include different ethnicities, body types, and conditions that reflect real life, not textbook fantasy.
After the round table discussion, I found myself chasing the curious thought I had, and actually searching the web for updates. A 2024 study in Anatomical Sciences Education found that students who engaged in drawing diverse anatomical models reported enhanced understanding and retention of anatomical knowledge. Institutions and publishers are beginning to incorporate a wider range of body types, skin tones, and ages in their educational materials. This shift aims to provide a more accurate representation of the human population, enhancing the learning experience and fostering a more inclusive approach to medical education.
Takeaway: Your Body Deserves to Be Seen
I left Dr. Co’s talk feeling a little more hopeful and a lot more curious. The takeaway here isn't just about images in a book. It's about changing how we see people—and how that shapes the care they receive.
So whether you’re a med student, a patient, or just someone with a body (that’s all of us, by the way), remember: if your anatomy isn't in the textbook, the problem isn't you.
Other readings and references I found myself reading for this blog post:
Louie, P., & Wilkes, R. (2018). Representations of race and skin tone in medical textbook imagery. Social Science & Medicine, 202, 38–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.02.023
Braun, L., Fausto-Sterling, A., Fullwiley, D., Hammonds, E. M., Nelson, A., Quivers, W., … & Wailoo, K. (2007). Racial categories in medical practice: How useful are they? PLOS Medicine, 4(9), e271. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0040271
Tatangelo, G. L., Finnegan, K. T., & Alexander, G. (2021). A systematic review of body type representation in anatomical education materials. Anatomical Sciences Education, 14(6), 771–783. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.2043
Grbic, D., Jones, D. J., & Case, S. T. (2015). Exploring the implications of medical school diversity. Academic Medicine, 90(12), 1663–1669. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000841
McNamara, D. A., & Nolan, C. (2024). Student-generated illustrations of anatomical diversity enhance engagement and retention. Anatomical Sciences Education, 17(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.2460
