Abstract
Introduction. Student-driven design of instructional tools within basic sciences curricula in general, and in anatomy in particular, has been shown to be both a positive educational experience for the student developers and a viable way to create quality materials for future courses. We present here a description of a student collaboration arising from participation in an advanced anatomy capstone research project, resulting in the creation of a new dissection protocol for the thoracolumbar junction dorsal primary rami and their branches. Materials and Methods. This project was initiated by two third-year doctor of physical therapy (DPT) students and involved participation from faculty and other DPT students of varying experience levels, in order to pilot and refine the tool over a two-year period. We describe the process by which the tool was developed, from the genesis of the original idea through the piloting stage. Results and Discussion. This collaboration resulted in a new instructional tool to be launched within our first-year DPT gross anatomy labs in 2022. Evaluation of the project through qualitative interviews demonstrated the learning impact on student participants. Conclusions. The success of this project shows the potential for students to be meaningfully involved in instructional tool design. The complete dissection guide, along with photos, is included and will be of particular relevance for medical and health science educators with an interest in orthopedics, neurosurgery, pain management, or physical therapy.
Highlights
Student-driven design of instructional tools within basic sciences curricula in general, and in anatomy in particular, has been shown to be both a positive educational experience for the student developers and a viable way to create quality materials for future courses
We describe the development of a dissection tool (Table 1) that arose from the work product of an advanced anatomy capstone research project within a Doctor of Physical erapy (DPT) program. is tool describes two approaches to the dissection of the branches of the dorsal primary rami (DPR) of the spinal nerves. ese are clinically relevant structures but are not commonly dissected in an introductory gross anatomy lab course
E tool described was created through a unique collaboration involving four students and two faculty over a two-year period. e planning and execution of the initial dissection was done by two third-year doctor of physical therapy (DPT) (DPT3) students and was followed by a piloting process of the original dissection guide by a third DPT3 student and completion of Education Research International
Summary
Student-driven development of instructional tools in medical and allied health education has been increasingly recognized as a valuable way to both engage students in their learning and incorporate end-user perspectives into course design [1, 2]. Basic and advanced dissection: as you peel back the IC and LG muscles inferiorly, you will see lateral branches of the higher spinal nerves (T9–T11) penetrating these muscles Cut these higher branches in order to (6) Cleaning and following the T12 lateral branch from the L1 transverse process distally towards the iliac crest facilitate the downward reflection of these muscles. Basic and advanced dissection: follow the nerve superiorly, if possible cleaning the DPR up to its bifurcation with the ventral primary ramus (VPR) and the spinal nerve of T12 It is not strictly required for this dissection, removal of some portions of the multifidus muscle may aid in exposing more of the spinal nerve, as well as portions of the medial branch. Project evaluation entailed in-depth student interviews regarding their perceptions of the value of this process and their roles in the development of the tool (Table 2)
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