Plastinated macroparasites, an alternative resource for use in practical lessons.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Anatomy
• Parasitology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Plastination is an advanced technique for preserving biological tissues, yielding durable and safe specimens.
• While widely adopted for anatomical studies, research on plastination's efficacy for parasite conservation is limited.
• High-quality plastinated parasite specimens have been previously reported.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of plastinated parasite specimens as a teaching tool in veterinary and pharmacy practical sessions.
• To compare student satisfaction and knowledge acquisition using plastinated versus traditional wet specimens.
• To assess the suitability of plastination for preserving parasitic organisms for educational purposes.

Main Methods:

• A blind study involving 141 veterinary medicine and pharmacy students.
• Students used either plastinated or wet (formaldehyde-preserved) parasite specimens over three practical sessions.
• Anonymous questionnaires assessed student knowledge and satisfaction post-session.

Main Results:

• Plastinated parasites were found to be a valid and satisfactory alternative teaching tool.
• No significant differences in the assimilation of morphological knowledge were observed between students using plastinated and formaldehyde-preserved specimens.
• Student satisfaction levels were high for the plastinated group.

Conclusions:

• Plastination is a highly effective method for preserving parasites for educational use.
• Plastinated parasite specimens provide comparable learning outcomes to traditional wet specimens.
• This technique enhances the safety, stability, and maintenance-free nature of anatomical teaching materials.