Body-painting: a tool which can be used to teach surface anatomy

The primary method of learning the surface anatomy is by making the students mark structures on mummified bodies. The students feel that learning the surface anatomy on mummified cadavers is not interesting. The present project on learning the surface anatomy through the body painting method was undertaken to evoke interest among the students.

Physiotherapy and dental undergraduate students who volunteered were involved in this study. A few surface anatomy classes were conducted by using the traditional method and a few more by using the body painting exercise. Non toxic body paints of various colours and brushes of different sizes were used for the body painting.

A feedback was obtained from the students by using a structured questionnaire. The students opined that the body painting method was advantageous to them in learning the human anatomy. They also felt that they could have more practice sessions in any setting other than in the classroom and that they did not need to rely upon the mummified bodies. They described the body painting method as self explanatory, which gave them the feel of live structures.

This project was successful in achieving its objectives as the students felt that the method was exciting, with lots of fun during the learning. The body painting method was well accepted by the students as an effective method for learning the surface and the clinical anatomy.