Effects of alternate dissection on anatomy learning

Area of Science:

• Anatomy Education
• Medical Pedagogy

Background:

• Dissection laboratories face crowding issues, particularly for head and neck anatomy.
• Traditional dissection methods can be limited by space constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an alternate dissection strategy's impact on student learning and perceptions.
• To assess the strategy's effectiveness in addressing laboratory crowding.

Main Methods:

• Implemented an alternate dissection strategy for head, neck, and extremities.
• Collected student perception surveys (2014-2016).
• Analyzed practical and written examination scores (2013-2016).

Main Results:

• Student perceptions were largely positive and improved annually.
• No significant negative impact on practical exam scores, except a minor dip in the first year.
• Written exam scores improved for both head/neck and extremities regions.

Conclusions:

• The alternate dissection strategy successfully mitigated crowding.
• The approach did not adversely affect student learning outcomes.
• This strategy offers a viable method to enhance dissection laboratory efficiency.