A Model of Integrating Emergency Orthopedics to Anatomy Curriculum for Medical School Students: Hip Joint as an Example of Lower Extremity Course

Abstract

Anatomy courses are in a relatively unique position to provide foundational knowledge in the preclinical, undergraduate medical education curriculum that can be applied immediately, and also built upon throughout a clinician’s career. Efficient anatomy integration in the current systembased curriculum without losing some learning quality is inevitable. The current formats of integrating anatomy seem inadequate, as they do not pay enough attention to subject priority and development of hands-on experience in specific areas, such as critical or urgent care, that may require development of early experience. Probably, a favorable way to understand anatomy is to not only integrate clinically relevant and surgical topics, but also select appropriate subjects for simulated hands-on practice in early years’ medical education.1,2 To this end, many appropriate topics in emergency medicine and surgery, trauma, and emergency orthopedic may be a good fit. Emergency orthopedics in particular could be a rich source for simple topics that ideally could be taught in conjunction with anatomy early in the medical education to familiarize medical students with such urgent problems that need appreciation and immediate care.