Teaching surgery, radiology and anatomy together: the mix enhances motivation and comprehension

Preclinical and clinical topics are often separated in medical education. For example, surgery and radiology are often taught much later than anatomy. The aim of this study was to establish and to evaluate an interdisciplinary course combining these closely related subjects to enhance medical comprehension.

Two tutorials each lasting one term were offered to second year medical students, in which clinical topics were implemented linking anatomy to surgical and radiological knowledge. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the success of this approach.

The motivation of the students was above average and the practical work was done accurately. The students confirmed that the course improved anatomical comprehension (>95%) and that the learned matters were relevant for their future (90%). Furthermore, interest in the subjects was higher after the course (>85%). Critical suggestions were to extend the course and to include more topics.

A mix of surgery, radiology and anatomy is a teaching concept, which leads to high acceptance and interest in medical students.