Profession-Related Accreditation Requirements in Australia Regarding Anatomy Teaching: A Web-Based Desktop Audit

For effective and safe practice, health professionals need an understanding of functional anatomy. Registration boards, councils or self-regulating professional associations determine the standards, codes, graduate competencies and education program accreditation requirements which inform health curricula development and content. The aim of this study was to identify professional accreditation standards in Australia that specifically relate to the content and teaching of anatomy knowledge. A web-based desktop audit of professional accreditation standards was conducted. Health professions included Audiology, Chiropractic, Dentistry, Dietetics, Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, Medical Radiation, Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Oral Health, Orthotics and Prosthetics, Osteopathy, Paramedicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, and Speech Pathology. Content analysis was used to determine specific anatomy requirements for each discipline. Only six disciplines (Audiology, Dentistry, Exercise Science, Optometry, Oral Health and Speech Pathology) had specific requirements relating to anatomy curriculum or teaching. Four disciplines (Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing and Midwifery) had no curricula specifications relating to anatomy. The general requirement was for teaching approaches, learning environments, facilities and equipment to be appropriate to achieve learning outcomes. The teaching of anatomy needs to support the practice of current and future health professionals. Although anatomy is foundational for health professionals, there is little guidance for Australian universities from registration or professional associations when determining anatomy content and appropriate teaching and assessment approaches within their health courses. More research is therefore needed to inform course accreditation standards relating to health course anatomy requirements.