Cadaveric Dissection in Relation to Problem‐Based Learning Case Sequencing: A Report of Medical Student Musculoskeletal Examination Performances and Self‐Confidence

Abstract

Mercer University School of Medicine utilizes a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum for educating medical students in the basic clinical sciences. In 2014, an adjustment was piloted that enabled PBL cases to align with their corresponding cadaver dissection that reviewed the content of anatomy contained in the PBL cases. Faculty had the option of giving PBL cases in sequence with the cadaveric dissection schedule (sequential group) or maintaining PBL cases out of sequence with dissections (traditional group). During this adjustment, students' academic performances were compared. Students' perception of their own preparedness for cadaveric dissection, their perceived utility of the cadaver dissections, and free-response comments were solicited via an online survey. There were no statistically significant differences when comparing student mean examination score values between the sequential and traditional groups on both multidisciplinary examinations (79.39 ± 7.63 vs. 79.88 ± 7.31, P = 0.738) and gross anatomy questions alone (78.15 ± 10.31 vs. 79.98 ± 9.31, P = 0.314). A statistically significant difference was found between the sequential group's and traditional group's (63% vs. 29%; P = 0.005) selfperceived preparedness for cadaveric dissections in the 2017 class. Analysis of free-response comments found that students in the traditional group believed their performance in PBL group, participation in PBL group and examination performance was adversely affected when compared to students with the sequential schedule. This study provides evidence that cadaveric dissections scheduled in sequence with PBL cases can lead to increased student self-confidence with learning anatomy but may not lead to improved examination scores.Anat Sci Educ 12: 619-626.

Focus on evidence‐based anatomy in contemporary anatomy education: Arguments in favor of a pragmatic approach

“…The available literature suggests that EBA is critical for implementing problem‐based learning (PBL), an integral component of modern anatomy education (Thompson et al, 2019). In PBL, learning starts from a clinical problem and relevant anatomical details (essentially clinical and relevant to the starting point) are explored from the reverse end (Prince et al, 2003).…”

“…The delivery of evidence‐based anatomical details pertinent to any clinical problem is effective in exposing students to recent advances in the topic concerned (Guimarães et al, 2017). Moreover, PBL sessions encourage active learning so that relevant anatomical details are studied in depth on the basis of available evidence (Thompson et al, 2019). Thus, EBA and PBL effectively complement each other and PBL embraces the true essence of EBA in anatomy education.…”

Human anatomy education and management of anatomic specimens during and after COVID-19 pandemic: Ethical, legal and biosafety aspects

“…These are fundamental ideas in their future professions. ( Kissler et al, 2016 ; Flack and Nicholson, 2018 ; Thompson et al, 2019 ). It is noteworthy that much of what is followed by students is due to the professors’ posture and attitudes, especially in practical classes ( Hildebrandt, 2019 ).…”

The question of dissection in medical training: Not just “if,” but “when”? A student perspective

“…Voluntary (Larkin & McAndrew, 2013 ), optional (Pais et al, 2017 ; Eppler et al, 2018 ), and extracurricular (Chambers & Emlyn‐Jones, 2009 ; Whelan et al, 2018 ) dissection opportunities have been created to give interested students the opportunity to dissect while minimizing impact upon the formal curriculum schedule. Another strategy has been to optimize the integration of dissection and its clinical relevance within the curriculum by sequencing it with other teaching and learning activities such as problem‐based learning (PBL) cases (Thompson et al, 2019 ), medical imaging (Murakami et al, 2014 ; Wilson et al, 2018b ), pathology (Geldenhuys et al, 2016 ; Noriki et al, 2019 ), and surgical techniques (Jeyakumar et al, 2020 ). In some institutions, students take turns to participate in dissection in order to continue to offer dissection opportunities to all students despite the reduced curricular time available, increasing student numbers, reduced staff numbers, and/or limited availability of cadavers (McWhorter & Forester, 2004 ; Bentley & Hill, 2009 ; Kim et al, 2019 ).…”