No abstract

Background: Competency based medical education (CBME) is outcome based teaching methodology where a student learns a set of measurable competencies for early clinical exposure. Inspite of ample resources on CBME, there are limited studies on its implementation. This study will try to demonstrate improvement in the performance of students using CBME as a teaching tool over the traditional structured method (TS). Methods: Forty student volunteers were chosen and divided into two groups. The crossover design exposed the group of students to CBME and TS spread over two periods with a wash out period in between. The intervention group was exposed to selected list of competencies in living Anatomy with feedbacks and formative assessments. The summative assessments were held at the end of each period. Results: The mean scores of CBME and TS in group 1 is 130.625 and 113.65 while in group 2 is 139.425 and 112.075 respectively. The treatment and period effect is significant. Estimate of treatment effect is 22.1625. The average improvement in treatment scores is by 11%. Two tailed paired sample T test reveals significant improvement in the scores post intervention.

After successful embalming of the 05 human adult cadavers, removals of brain, brain stem with spinal cord were done as a single unit. The removal of bilateral laminectomy of vertebrae helps in viewing of spinal cord with its coverings and spinal nerve roots, dorsal root ganglion and cauda equina. It is followed by removal of vault of skull, squamous part of occipital bone and posterior arch of atlas, helps in viewing of brain, brain stem along with dural sheath and venous sinuses. This approach helps in total removal of brain, brain stem and spinal cord with its covering with large venous sinuses remaining intact however small venous sinuses are sacrificed in this process. The specimen thus obtained can be used for anatomical study and museum display. Keywords: Removal of brain, brain stem, spinal cord, anatomical study.