A Game-Based Approach to Teaching and Learning Anatomy of the Liver and Portal Venous System

The use of games and game elements as teaching tools has received increasing attention in the medical education literature. Used formatively, games promote student engagement and satisfaction, and encourage collaboration and teamwork among students. They may also help students retain knowledge, although research supporting this notion is limited. This resource contains a 30-minute interactive lab station involving two different game-based activities aimed at teaching functional anatomy of the liver and portal venous system.

The first activity is a flipped version of a traditional pinned anatomy practical, wherein students place their own pins on a body donor in response to application-level prompts. The second activity is an outlay-type card game where students assemble cards to depict the venous drainage of gut organs in a healthy patient versus one with portal hypertension.

In end-of-session reviews, several students volunteered feedback that the activities were effective and enjoyable. Additionally, average student scores on two subject exam questions increased by approximately 13% and 4%, compared with students who took the exam before the game elements were introduced.

These game-based activities may serve as a starting point for others wishing to deal with historically difficult topics in a more engaging way. The tools presented are low-cost, low-tech, and easy to modify for use with different student populations.