Impact of Premedical Anatomy Experience, its Perceived Benefit, and Study Effort on Student Performance in Medical Gross Anatomy

Abstract

Predicting medical student success in Gross Anatomy could be beneficial for implementing early interventions for those who may struggle. In our earlier studies, previous anatomy experience did not clearly explain differences in performance in Gross Anatomy. These previous studies failed to assess student perception of previous courses and how this may affect study habits. This current study investigated the effect of study effort in conjunction with premedical anatomy experience and the student‐perceived benefit of that course on their success in the medical Gross Anatomy course.Two surveys were administered to students. The first survey was distributed during orientation week prior to semester one inception. This survey covered the number, type, and level of anatomy courses taken prior to matriculation into medical school. Additionally, students were asked to rate the perceived benefit of the course for mastery of anatomical concepts and the potential benefit for success in medical Gross Anatomy. The second survey was administered during the first week of second semester, asking their average study efforts dedicated to lecture‐based and laboratory‐based examinations. These responses were matched with each student’s semester, lecture, and laboratory grades from the first semester of Gross Anatomy. Model selection methods determined final predictors for overall semester grade and grade on the first lecture exam. Tests for linear trends across increasing degrees of perceived benefit of their previous anatomy experience on their success in the Gross Anatomy course were performed.The best predictors were lecture effort and the perceived benefit of their previous anatomy experience on their success in the Gross Anatomy course. Given the same amount of effort, the more beneficial the student believed their previous anatomy courses were toward future success in the medical Gross Anatomy course, the better the Gross Anatomy course grade. This was true for those who responded that the course was ‘slightly beneficial’ (mean=0.81, SE=0.009) up to ‘very beneficial’ (mean=0.86, SE=0.007; P<.001). Likewise, controlling for the overall semester grade, among students who responded that the course was at least ‘slightly beneficial’ up to ‘very beneficial’, the lower the average study effort given on lecture examination study (‘slightly beneficial’ mean effort=0.87; ‘very beneficial’ mean effort=0.82; P=.002). These results were similar for the first lecture examination grade.Prior anatomy experience alone does not predict success in medical Gross Anatomy. However, a student who perceives more benefit from a previous anatomy course will generally put in less effort to attain a particular grade in Gross Anatomy. As this model of prediction is the same for the first lecture exam, early interventions may be implemented to minimize poor performance.