Clinical students' reflections on the preclinical anatomy learning experience

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy
• Clinical Practice

Background:

• Modern medical curricula increasingly reduce anatomy teaching content and cadaveric dissection.
• Graduates lacking foundational anatomy knowledge may be ill-equipped for safe clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore clinical year students' experiences with preclinical anatomy learning in Malaysian medical schools.
• To assess how preclinical anatomy training prepares students for their clinical years.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative phenomenology study utilizing focus group discussions with 30 final-year students from four public universities.
• Thematic analysis of transcribed focus group discussions using ATLAS.ti software.

Main Results:

• Six key themes emerged: preclinical anatomy learning experience, content and teaching, competency, importance in clinical practice, early applied clinical anatomy exposure, and suggestions for future education.
• Students perceived challenges in preclinical anatomy learning and emphasized the need for improved teaching and early clinical application.

Conclusions:

• Student experiences reveal gaps in preclinical anatomy education impacting clinical readiness.
• Improving anatomy teaching with early clinical integration is crucial for developing competent medical professionals.