First-year medical undergraduate students opinion about the use of radiology in gross anatomy course

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Although the importance of anatomy teaching in the undergraduate medical curriculum is incontestable, the lack of knowledge retention and clinical application are the greatest challenges for anatomy teachers. New teaching methodologies are replacing cadaver' dissection in many schools around the world and the usage of radiologic images can become a valuable resource for student's learning the human body structures. The aim of this article was to analyze the perception of first-year undergraduate medical students in the usage of radiology in gross human anatomy course. Materials and methods: One hundred students answered a 30 questions survey using a 5-point Likert scale about the usage of radiologic images in the human anatomy classes. Results: Most subjects have shown desire and the availability to learn human anatomy using images. After the usage of radiologic images there has been an increase on the subjective aspects of the human body such as admiration and respect, an improvement in the correlation of human anatomy with clinical aspects and in the three dimensional perception of the human body anatomic structures. Conclusions: Most of the research participants evaluated the usage of radiologic images as positive and beneicial for the teaching and learning human anatomy as it increases the interest for anatomy and it can favor learning and clinical practice performance. Results shows that according to students' opinion the usage of radiology can be an excellent complement in human anatomy learning and can induce us to think it can prepare and train more competent doctors in diagnostic imaging.