Teaching Musculoskeletal Module using dissection videos: feedback from medical students

Sami Zaqout,Ayman G. Mustafa,Mohammed Seed Ahmed,Nour R. Taha

doi:10.1186/s12909-021-03036-5

Sami Zaqout, Ayman G. Mustafa + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-03036-5

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Abstract

Background and AimsOver the last two decades many medical schools have been exploring alternatives to hands-on cadaver dissection in teaching anatomy. This study aimed at reporting medical students’ feedback on using dissection videos in teaching anatomy of the musculoskeletal system.MethodsDissection videos were used to teach the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system for third year medical students. At the end of the module, feedbacks from medical students were reported using a questionnaire designed for this purpose. Statistically valid responses were considered for 284 students.ResultsAround 60% of the students enjoyed learning anatomy by watching dissection videos but the majority - mostly non-Jordanian - thought that the duration of the videos should be shorter. 83% (236/284)of the students enjoyed the presence of an instructor to guide them through the video and 85% (241/284) wanted to discuss the content with the instructor after watching. Most of the students liked to have access to the videos at any time in an open lab policy. Only 23% (66/284) of the students - mostly Jordanian – were willing to completely replace cadaveric prosections with dissection videos. Most of the students found that dissection videos helped them to understand anatomy lectures in a better way and in memorizing anatomical details. A significantly higher percentage of Jordanian students preferred watching dissection videos at home and preferred dissection videos to replace traditional anatomy lab sessions.ConclusionsIn the light of our present findings, using dissection videos as a teaching method of anatomy was well received by students. However, it seemed that the students wanted dissection videos to be integrated with using cadaveric prosections rather than replacing them.

Highlights

Background and AimsOver the last two decades many medical schools have been exploring alternatives to handson cadaver dissection in teaching anatomy
This study investigated students’ attitude toward incorporating dissection videos as a teaching tool into the musculoskeletal module offered at Jordan University for Science and Technology (JUST)
Dissection videos experience The results showed that 60% (169/284) of the students enjoyed learning anatomy by watching dissection videos

Summary

Introduction

Background and AimsOver the last two decades many medical schools have been exploring alternatives to handson cadaver dissection in teaching anatomy. Cadavers are excellent for teaching the anatomy of large organs, showing a range of normal anatomical variation, and delivering clinically oriented anatomical information [7,8,9] They enable students to understand the body structures in threedimensional form through sensory and tactile perception [10]. An additional obstacle for students may be learning dissection techniques that require guidance and are exceptionally time consuming, which does not allow them to locate the structures they are supposed to be finding [10] For these reasons and many more, some researchers, educators, and even students believe that using dissection alone is insufficient to learn anatomy, and that incorporating other educational tools is advantageous, or even required [7, 16,17,18]. The availability of other tools including plastic models and plastinated specimens offer suitable alternatives [20]

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