Escape Room Activity to Teach Head and Neck Anatomy

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy

Background:

• Head and neck anatomy is a complex subject for students.
• Traditional learning methods may not fully engage students with intricate anatomical details.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a head and neck anatomy escape room activity.
• To assess student perceptions of the escape room as a learning tool.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods analysis was used to study the escape room activity.
• The activity was piloted with dental students and modified for medical students.

Main Results:

• 149 students found the escape room useful for learning and identifying knowledge gaps.
• Students reported the activity was fun and required diverse skills like problem-solving.
• No statistically significant improvement in posttest scores was observed for either student group.

Conclusions:

• The escape room effectively engages students and highlights areas needing further study.
• Active learning tools like escape rooms can foster essential skills for future healthcare professionals, even without direct test score improvements.