The highest standards of inquiry.
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of scientific inquiry and scholarly publishing. Our journal, Clinical Anatomy, is peer-reviewed and indexed across major biomedical databases.
About the Association
Anatomy in the service of medicine.
Founded in 1983, the AACA brings together anatomists, surgeons, clinicians, anatomy researchers and educators from more than thirty countries to advance the knowledge, science, instruction, and practice of clinical anatomy.
A scholarly home for the discipline.
The AACA was founded to promote anatomical instruction in the medical school curriculum and to advance the knowledge of anatomy in clinical practice. The AACA has grown to encompass clinical specialties, allied health professions, and undergraduate and graduate programs where focus on basic and applied anatomy is essential for practice. The AACA supports, promotes, and advances anatomically and clinically-based scholarship in research, education, and practice innovation.
Our annual scientific meeting provides a vital and supportive venue for basic and clinical scientists, surgeons, clinicians, clinical trainees, anatomy educators, medical illustrators, and anatomical services specialists to disseminate scholarly work of an experimental or descriptive nature in any of the subdisciplines of anatomy or specialties of medicine.
Clinical Anatomy includes anatomy in all its aspects — gross, histologic, developmental, and neurologic — and is designed to advance anatomical knowledge as applied to the practice of surgery, medicine, and allied health.
Four commitments, one practice.
Conversation across stages.
Our meetings are intentionally, clinically focused and structured to encourage conversation across specialties and career stages — clinicians, anatomists, students, residents, and senior investigators present and engage side by side.
The next generation, central.
Advancing the next generation of clinical anatomists, surgeons, physicians, and allied health professionals is central to our purpose. Associate memberships, student sessions, masterclasses, and dedicated programming for early-career members reflect that commitment.
Collaborative practice, from bedside to bench and back to the bedside.
Advancement of clinical anatomy is driven by collaboration and partnership between the clinical practice and anatomy laboratory. Collaborative partnerships drive advanced understanding of anatomy that is relevant, translational, and crucial for optimizing patient care.
Membership, council representation, focus on practice-based anatomy in conference programming, student and clinical trainee sessions, clinical anatomy masterclasses, and ongoing scholarship reflect that commitment.
A profession, in numbers.
30+
Countries represented
43
Annual meetings convened
1983
Year of founding
Our members include physicians, surgeons, radiologists, researchers, medical and health professions educators, trainees, medical illustrators, and anatomical services specialists. Typical members have produced a record of research, clinical practice, clinical research, teaching in accredited institutions, or administrative experience in the field.
A governing directory.
Council & Officers
The President, Officers, and Councilors-at-Large who steward the Association.
View leadershipStanding Committees
Ten standing committees carrying out the day-to-day work of the Association — from Anatomical Services to Terminology and Career Development.
Meet the committeesThe Bylaws
Membership, officers, committees, meetings, and conduct — the governing document of the AACA, adopted October 17, 1983.
Read the bylaws