Designing courses in anatomy

Abstract

Medical school has changed. Curricula have become more integrated, more systems based and

the teaching of anatomy more clinically relevant.

Notwithstanding the efforts by the Anatomical Society to define the “core curriculum”, the difficulty

lies in ensuring that what is being taught in the

anatomy class is not only relevant to clinical training but is vertically integrated with it across the

whole academic programme of studies. Deciding what to leave out, while maintaining standards has become very difficult indeed. Yet the purpose of teaching anatomy must surely lie in its clinical application. As teachers, our goal is to light the fire under our students, in such a way as to stimulate them to look for the answers to common clinical problems for which a knowledge of anatomy is essential. This increasing emphasis on learning within context is particularly important for adult learners, which one would expect most of our students to be.

Cadaver dissection and/or examination of prosected material remains at the core of anatomy

learning, because the learning, and perhaps more importantly, the recall of anatomy, is based on the twin principles of observation and visualization.

Deeper learning of key principles and clinically relevant anatomy requires students to assess

themselves regularly. At a time when increasing

numbers of atlases and textbooks are being published, those that stand out include study and review questions and answers as opportunities for

self- assessment. The visible and palpable anatomy that forms the basis of clinical examination can only be learned through practice on normal subjects, usually fellow students and oneself. The design of an anatomy course must include opportunities for students to

do this under supervision. Correlating these features with imaging studies further enhances deeper learning.