Abstract
This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Introduction: Undergraduate medical education training has recently shifted towards making content relevant and applicable for future clinical practice. However, students often encounter difficulties in visualizing the functional living human and apply clinically relevant anatomy content. Hence, the aim of this study is to evaluate the role and efficacy of ultrasound in teaching clinical anatomy to first year medical students. Methods: 300 Year 1 students took part in the practical sessions either using ultrasound mannequins or volunteer. All students were given a specially designed pre-test and post-test using Katz's Percentage to assess their level of ultrasound knowledge. A feedback survey was sought from the students and anatomists after the programme. Results: The results were analyzed based on the 100 students who have taken both pre- and post-tests. The study showed that there was statistical significant difference on normal US images of abdominal organs knowledge before and after the intervention. About 98% of students would like the continuation of this programme into the clinical years. Tutor's perception survey also revealed positive results particularly the interdepartmental collaboration. Conclusion: An ultrasound programme was successfully implemented to complement and enhance the conceptualizing of normal gross anatomy with clinical anatomy for first year medical students.
Highlights
Undergraduate medical education training has recently shifted towards making content relevant and applicable for future clinical practice
Teaching of ultrasound was normally introduced during students’ clinical year, which was disengaged from Anatomy during their pre-clinical year . 11,12,13,14 In view of the advantages of ultrasound and to eliminate some of the limitations with cadaveric dissection and the existing gap in the literature, an innovative approach was introduced at our Undergraduate Medical School, to complement and enhance first year medical students’ learning of anatomy
The aim of this study is to evaluate the role and efficacy of ultrasound in teaching clinical anatomy to first year medical students as Phase I of the project
Summary
Undergraduate medical education training has recently shifted towards making content relevant and applicable for future clinical practice. The presence of several challenges in teaching anatomy could have contributed to the lesser attention spent on developing effective anatomy classes These include the unavailability of qualified teachers, inadequate teaching time and the move away from dissection as a learning tool (due to cost and availability issues).2While the use of dissection is a common time-honored tool, it has several limitations. 11,12,13,14 In view of the advantages of ultrasound and to eliminate some of the limitations with cadaveric dissection and the existing gap in the literature, an innovative approach was introduced at our Undergraduate Medical School, to complement and enhance first year medical students’ learning of anatomy This joint effort by the Departments of Diagnostic Imaging and Anatomy leverages on ultrasound technology and utilizes mannequins to teach the medical students to recognize the normal anatomical structures depicted by ultrasound and their correlation with anatomical surface markings. Several research question questions were developed to achieve the aim: Research Question 1: Is there any difference on normal US images of abdominal organs knowledge before and after the intervention among first year medical students? Research Question 2: What are the students’ perception about the strengths and limitations the programme? Research Question 3: What are the tutors’ perception about the strengths and limitations the programme?
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