Strategic Improvements for Gross Anatomy Web-Based Teaching

Abstract

Current generations of graduate students have been immersed in technology from their early school years and have high expectations regarding digital resources. To better meet the expectations of Gross Anatomy students at our institution, electronic radiology teaching files for first-year coursework were organized into a web site. The web site was custom designed to provide material that directly correlated to the Gross Anatomy dissection and lectures. Quick links provided sets of images grouped by anatomic location. Additionally, Lab and Study Companions provided specific material for the students to review prior to and after lectures and gross dissections. Student opinions of this education resource were compared to student opinions of the prior year's digital teaching files. The new content was ranked as more user friendly (3.1 points versus 2.3 points) and more useful for learning anatomy (3.3 points versus 2.6 points). Many students reported that using the web portal was critical in helping them to better understand relationships of anatomical structures. These findings suggest that a well-organized web portal can provide a user-friendly, valuable educational resource for medical students who are studying Gross Anatomy.

A dissecação como ferramenta pedagógica no ensino da Anatomia em Portugal

“…A dissecação é, segundo estes autores, um excelente método para desenvolver a capacidade de resolver problemas clínicos; por sua vez, as novas tecnologias permitem a animação de certos fenómenos biológicos que facilitam a sua compreensão 10 . Marker et al desenvolveram um currículo de Anatomia Radiológica, que foi incluído na disciplina de Anatomia, onde era proposto, aos alunos, que aplicassem os seus conhecimentos na identificação das estruturas presentes em imagens de radiografia, de tomografia computorizada e de ressonância magnética 20 . Os alunos consideraram esta abordagem não só útil como estimulante, pois aproxima-os da sua futura atividade clínica 20 .…”

“…Marker et al desenvolveram um currículo de Anatomia Radiológica, que foi incluído na disciplina de Anatomia, onde era proposto, aos alunos, que aplicassem os seus conhecimentos na identificação das estruturas presentes em imagens de radiografia, de tomografia computorizada e de ressonância magnética 20 . Os alunos consideraram esta abordagem não só útil como estimulante, pois aproxima-os da sua futura atividade clínica 20 . Também Rizzolo et al consideram positiva a integração da Anatomia Radiológica nos currícula de Anatomia 21 .…”

“…Pabst sugere que sejam também fornecidas, aos alunos, imagens de endoscopia, otoscopia e ecografia 15 . Marker et al aconselham, por sua vez, a criação de questionários on-line para os estudantes poderem rever, em casa, os conteúdos lecionados 20 . Atualmente, a formação pós-graduada, aquela que é realizada após o curso de Medicina, é cada vez mais diversificada e visa, habitualmente, a especialização dos médicos 11,13 .…”

Opinion and Special Articles: Electronic media in neurology education

“…6 It showed that students found the Web-based mediaenriched learning to be nearly 30% more userfriendly and useful than lecture alone. In fact, many of the students in this study asserted that the media pieces were critical in helping them learn the material.…”

Development and Utilization of a Web-Based Application as a Robust Radiology Teaching Tool (RadStax) for Medical Student Anatomy Teaching

“…Digital technology can help create more interactive experiences in medical education (8), as evidenced by the increasing use of the iPad (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA); however, there is often an underutilization of this technology in radiology courses (9). Although there are many applications and online radiology resources already available, such as E-anatomy (IMAIOS, Montpellier, France) or the Medical Resource Imaging Center (MIRC; RSNA, Oak Brook, IL), none is optimized for preclinical medical education (10,11). Lack of time and resources is a significant limitation for faculty who seek to provide the most rewarding educational experience possible (8,12).…”