Assessment outcomes: computerized instruction in a human gross anatomy course

Area of Science:

• Anatomy and Physiology Education
• Medical Education Technology
• Physical Therapy Training

Background:

• Traditional human gross anatomy courses often rely on cadaver dissection and lectures.
• Evolving educational technologies offer potential alternatives for anatomy instruction.
• Assessing the efficacy of new methods against established curricula is crucial for medical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of traditional cadaver-based anatomy instruction with computerized self-study methods.
• To evaluate student performance in anatomy and subsequent clinical and licensure examinations based on different instructional approaches.
• To determine if computerized self-study is a viable alternative for human gross anatomy education.

Main Methods:

• Three groups of physical therapy students (n=55 total) were studied over three years.
• Group 1: Traditional lecture and cadaver dissection (15 weeks).
• Group 2: Computerized self-study, non-cadaver (15 weeks).
• Group 3: Weekly lectures combined with computerized self-study, non-cadaver (15 weeks).
• Student performance was tracked through PT curricula and state board licensure exams.
• Data analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in anatomy course performance between the three groups.
• Class study times and performance throughout the physical therapy curricula showed no significant variations.
• Performance on the state board licensure examination was comparable across all instructional methods.
• Time logs indicated comparable engagement across different study and lecture formats.

Conclusions:

• Computerized self-study, with or without lectures, is a viable alternative to traditional cadaver-based human gross anatomy instruction.
• Educational technology can effectively replace cadaveric dissection without compromising student outcomes.
• Future research will explore integrating lecture with computerized study and supplemental labs (bone, radiology).