Medical students need more hands-on work in gross human anatomy courses
Dissection anatomy should be an integral component of medical education, according to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Prof George Ramsey-Stewart, Professor of Surgical Anatomy at the University of Sydney, and co-authors evaluated the 2010 “Anatomy by whole body dissection” elective course offered to senior medical students at the University of Sydney.
Twenty-nine students participated in the whole-body dissection course. Students were divided into eight groups and carried out whole-body dissections on eight cadavers over 34 days. Surgical trainees acted as demonstrators, and surgeons and anatomists supervised. The students were assessed by practical tests involving the identification of 20 tagged structures in four “wet” specimens (i.e. embalmed dissections) before, during, at the end of, and one month after the course.
The median pre-course assessment score was 8/20. Students’ knowledge of anatomy improved significantly through the course, with median scores of 18.5/20 for the mid-course assessment, 19/20 for the end-course assessment, and 19/20 for the post-course assessment.
All students rated the dissection course as “very good”, and there was a unanimous recommendation that the course should be available for all students.
Prof Ramsey-Stewart observed that the teaching of anatomy by dissection had gradually decreased over the past several decades.
“This has led to a wide variation in the amount of anatomy taught at Australian and New Zealand medical schools,” said Prof Ramsey-Stewart.
“There is an apparent need for the introduction of a standard basic national curriculum in gross human anatomy.
“The new curriculum should include dissection anatomy as a significant component and have a barrier assessment (ie, an assessment that halts progress in the course until satisfactorily completed).
“This would ensure that medical graduates have a reasonable knowledge of gross human anatomy and are equipped to properly understand the amazingly complex biological structure with which most of them will be intimately concerned throughout the rest of their professional careers,” Prof Ramsey-Stewart said.
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association
The statements or opinions that are expressed in the MJA reflect the views of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the AMA unless that is so stated.
CONTACT: Prof George Ramsey-Stewart 02 9351 5161 / 0412 638 325
