Does gender influence learning, perceptions and retention in regional anatomy dissection courses?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Gross Anatomy
• Learning Sciences

Background:

• Gender differences in medical student learning and skill acquisition present complex, often contradictory, findings.
• Previous research on anatomy learning has overlooked gender-specific variations in dissection courses.
• Understanding these nuances is crucial for effective medical pedagogy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gender-based differences in undergraduate medical students' anatomy learning gains.
• To compare learning outcomes and knowledge retention in regional anatomy courses of varying lengths (3-month vs. 1-month).
• To assess gendered perceptions of Thiel- versus ethanol-based embalming methods in anatomy education.

Main Methods:

• Assessed anatomical structure identification abilities to measure learning gains across genders.
• Compared learning outcomes between 3-month and 1-month regional anatomy courses, analyzing gender effects.
• Evaluated knowledge retention at 6- and 12-month intervals.
• Surveyed student perceptions of Thiel and ethanol embalming methods, focusing on gender differences.

Main Results:

• Minor gender differences were observed in learning gains across anatomical regions.
• A 3-month course yielded higher scores than a 1-month course for all students, particularly in neck, thorax, and abdomen.
• Significant knowledge retention gains in abdominal anatomy were observed at 6 and 12 months (females: +56%, males: +68%).
• Gender differences emerged in perceptions of tissue pliability and learning utility between Thiel and ethanol embalming methods.

Conclusions:

• Subtle gender-related differences exist in gross anatomy learning outcomes and perceptions.
• Findings support tailoring regional anatomy dissection curricula to accommodate gender variations.
• This research provides valuable insights for optimizing anatomy education for diverse medical student populations.