Design, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative anatomy course

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy

Background:

• Medical school gross anatomy courses traditionally rely on extensive dissection hours.
• Curricular constraints necessitate innovative teaching methodologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To redesign a gross anatomy course with reduced hours, incorporating clinical relevance and online learning.
• To assess the effectiveness of the redesigned course through formative and summative evaluations.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a clinical focus, learning societies, and online resources.
• Utilized student focus groups, faculty development, surveys, and examinations for ongoing assessment.
• Conducted long-term retention and application testing one and a half and three years post-course.

Main Results:

• Student satisfaction increased steadily after an initial decline.
• Student performance on examinations improved.
• Redesigned course graduates demonstrated comparable or superior long-term anatomical knowledge retention and clinical application compared to original course graduates.

Conclusions:

• A redesigned, shorter, clinically-focused gross anatomy course with robust assessment can maintain or enhance learning outcomes.
• Formative assessment is crucial for iterative course improvement and long-term educational effectiveness.