Using a 3D Brachial Plexus Board to Facilitate Learning Anatomy

Abstract

The anatomy of the brachial plexus is a topic that, for instructors, has been difficult to teach and, for the learner, difficult to visualize and master. However, understanding and applying the anatomical relationships of the brachial plexus is extremely important as it helps understand the implications of clinical scenarios such as nerve injury in patients with crush injuries, nerve entrapments, and spinal cord injury. Evidence supports the effectiveness of utilizing kinesthetic methods of teaching and learning the brachial plexus. In this study, we assessed the use of a 3D brachial plexus board model in learning the intricacies of the brachial plexus and its innervations in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. A series of three workshops were held in which, twelve year‐one Physical Therapy Student participants from the University of the Incarnate Word were randomized into two groups and attended three brachial plexus workshops over the course of three weeks. At the first workshop, one group learned how to build the brachial plexus using a 3D board model and the other group learned how to draw the brachial plexus utilizing the online resource, Draw It to Know It. At the second workshop, the groups switched and at the third workshop, both groups were combined to build the brachial plexus using the 3D board followed by mapping out the innervation to all the muscles of the upper limb. Each workshop session lasted 2‐hours in which participants followed along with a live demonstration led by senior peer students. Participants completed a pre‐assessment and post workshop questionnaire to evaluate their knowledge, retention, and engagement through their participation in the three brachial plexus anatomy activities. Sixty‐seven percent of participants completed the “Building the Brachial Plexus Questionnaire”, fifty percent of participants completed the “Drawing the Brachial Plexus Questionnaire”, and seventy‐five percent of participants completed the “Post Workshop Questionnaire”. Out of the nine participants that completed the “Post Workshop Questionnaire” five reported feeling “pretty confident” in their knowledge of the brachial plexus, and two reported feeling “completely confident.” In addition, five participants reported that building the brachial plexus was more engaging and one reported that drawing was more engaging. On the first preworkshop self‐assessment the participants achieved a median score of 55%. An increase in scores was observed on the second (one week later) pre workshop assessment which had an average score of 67%. Overall, all respondents reported that the brachial plexus board was a useful learning tool in understanding the 3D structure of the brachial plexus. In conclusion, we obtained positive feedback regarding the use of the 3D brachial plexus board to enhance the student’s understanding of the components and relationships of the brachial plexus. The effectiveness of utilizing this method of anatomy instruction will need to be assessed further and across additional cohorts due to small sample size.