Using Anatomy to Foster Competencies in the First Year of Medical School

Abstract

ObjectiveTo prepare medical students for life‐long learning by using a competency‐based approach to anatomy.BackgroundSmall group learning affords an opportunity for students to learn from each other while they develop four competencies: fostering knowledge for practice, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and personal and professional developmentThe virtual anatomy course is taught in 35 two‐hour sessions with teams of students moving through stations where they teach each other. This approach requires the students prepare by focused reading to teach to their peers.DesignBefore each anatomy session, the students receive an iBook that contains both pre‐readings and modules. The readings replace the traditional introductory lecture; the modules direct the students through the concepts of the lab experience. Students work in pre‐assigned groups of six; two students from each group are required to teach one of the three modules. The modules are 20 minutes in length.OutcomesOver the course of 1 year of study, students must learn to disengage from their pre‐med passive approach to learning and engage in a professional active learning mode.Strengths and LimitationsThere was widespread skepticism that students would not know how to teach each other. Students took many months to switch from a lecture‐based system to active learning. However, by the end of the 12 months of anatomy sessions, the students were engaged, worked effectively with each other, and demonstrated mastery of the anatomy content both in class and on standardized NBME exams.Feasibility and generalizabilityThis approach of learning by teaching makes the out‐of‐class preparation necessary for a ‘flipped classroom’ into a more active process and results in deeper understanding than reading alone. It is both feasible and generalizable to other courses.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.