Established in 1979 on the main campus in Minden, Penang, the Department of Anatomy became part of the Health Campus in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan in 1988, under the School of Medical Sciences (Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan).

The department plays a key role in teaching anatomy across various programs, including undergraduate medical and dental courses, as well as postgraduate training such as the Master of Clinical Anatomy, Master of Medicine, and Master of Neurosurgery.

Launched in 2003, the Master of Clinical Anatomy is a two-year, full-time mixed-mode program combining coursework and research. Students also take part in clinical attachments at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia to strengthen the clinical application of anatomical knowledge.

A regional pioneer in plastination, the department produced its first plastinated specimens following training in Germany and hosted a plastination workshop in 1996, advancing anatomical education and specimen preservation in Southeast Asia.

The department has successfully organized the First Malaysian Conference in Anatomical Sciences in October 2002

The Department of Anatomy houses several dedicated facilities to support both teaching and research. These include the Anatomy Museum, a fully equipped dissection room with prosected specimens, and a histology research laboratory featuring multipurpose microscopes, a multi-viewer microscope, and an image analyzer for advanced teaching and research applications.

The department also conducts research across a broad spectrum of anatomical sciences. Key research areas include histology, neuroscience, tissue engineering, anthropometry, clinical anatomy, and anatomy education.