Background
Photovoice, participatory action research, combines photography, critical dialogue, and experiential knowledge that participants reflect on and communicate their concerns to ignite behavioral change. The Attitude, Ethics, and Communication Module of the Competency-Based Indian Curriculum - “Cadaver as the first teacher” was imparted through photovoice among first-year medical graduates. The study aimed to determine photovoice as an active learning strategy in anatomy, obtain student perceptions of this method and assess its efficacy in imparting desired competencies in the affective domain.
Methods
The competition among the students was organized using photovoice as a tool to explore the students’ reflections on cadavers. The details regarding the photovoice method, process, intent, assessment criteria, rules, and schedule were announced. The students had to capture photographs at convenience and collect pictures from the internet or any media that correlated with the AETCOM module theme "Cadaver as the first teacher." Students were asked to reflect upon: what you felt when you first saw the cadaver concerning body donation, feeling of other persons (empathy), connecting with the real-life hospital setting, and the cadaver as your first teacher. A competition for the display of creativity was announced. We employed focus group discussion. The deductive approach of data coding was adopted. Rereading and revising the codes and thematic analysis were performed.
Results
A focus group discussion revealed that the graduates considered photovoice a beneficial learning strategy due to student engagement. The students accepted photovoice as a metacognitive approach. It triggered an appreciative inquiry on the module's significance. The conscious practice of respecting the cadaver at the dissection hall was the perceived benefit of this strategy. Additionally, the presentation skills and real-life context could help translate them into clinical settings. Incorporating active learning strategies supplementing dissection hall teaching helps develop empathy and professionalism with peer support in the competency-based anatomy curriculum.
Conclusion
Photovoice provides a unique medium for reflection on components such as empathy, respect, altruism, compassion, teamwork, and self-regulation. Appropriate delivery of humanistic education through a suitable method can have a lifelong impact on medical students.
