Human Anatomy Course Research Articles

Use of ILearning in an Introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology Course

The incorporation of mobile learning methods (iLearning) into human anatomy and physiology classrooms has been debated with regard to its effectiveness in higher education. This study aimed to understand how iLearning affects college-aged students’ perception of learning and engagement in an introductory human anatomy and physiology course using a survey established by Rossing and coworkers (2012). Perceived learning was not significantly different from start to end of the semester while perceived engagement was significantly different in a negative direction. Mean scores were high for both dimensions at both time points which may have diminished meaningful interpretation. Nevertheless, the present study demonstrates that iLearning can be successfully implemented into higher education classroom settings while maintaining traditional classroom teaching and learning techniques.

Does a Student's Academic Major Influence Their Perceptions of a Human Anatomy and Physiology Course and Ultimately Their Success in the Course?

Students from a variety of majors take human anatomy and physiology courses—usually because they are required for their program of study. Many students find anatomy and physiology classes academically challenging and institutions across the country report high failure and withdrawal rates for these courses. Although research has shown that several factors may contribute to poor student performance, this study focused on the relationship between a student’s major and their perceptions about the course to investigate whether these data were reflective of student success rates. Survey data was collected from students in the first semester of a two-semester, systems-based human anatomy and physiology course sequence. While the results did not show a statistical difference in successful completion of the anatomy and physiology course related to academic major, interesting preferences regarding learning styles, study habits, and perceived difficulty of the course were found.

Facilitating Student Understanding through Incorporating Digital Images and 3D-Printed Models in a Human Anatomy Course

Combining classical educational methods with interactive three-dimensional (3D) visualization technology has great power to support and provide students with a unique opportunity to use them in the study process, training, and/or simulation of different medical procedures in terms of a Human Anatomy course. In 2016, Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) offered students the 3D Virtual Dissection Table “Anatomage” with possibilities of virtual dissection and digital images at the Department of Morphology. The first 3D models were printed in 2018 and a new printing course was integrated into the Human Anatomy curriculum. This study was focused on the interaction of students with digital images, 3D models, and their combinations. The incorporation and use of digital technologies offered students great tools for their creativity, increased the level of knowledge and skills, and gave them a possibility to study human body structures and to develop relationships between basic and clinical studies.

Comparison of student performance following in‐person or virtual gross anatomy labs during COVID‐19

The global pandemic of coronavirus disease has significantly impacted medical education, including removing trainees from clinical environments, transitioning didactic sessions to virtual platforms, and necessitating creative solutions to provide interactive learning opportunities in a virtual, socially distant setting. Human gross anatomy education, with its emphasis on hands‐on, team‐based, active learning by body donor dissection, has been particularly impacted by these transitions. Dissection is considered the best practice for learning gross anatomy and has been shown to enhance learning over non‐dissection‐based methods.At the Medical College of Wisconsin, team‐based, body donor dissections are the basis for the Clinical Human Anatomy course. However, the pandemic necessitated changes to the format of laboratory activities. For the 2020‐2021 academic year, students either completed anatomy labs in‐person in a socially distant environment or virtually. This provided an opportunity to directly compare the effect of different laboratory instructional modalities on student performance within a single course.All first‐year medical students were enrolled in the same Clinical Human Anatomy course, attended identical didactic sessions, and were assessed by identical examinations that included lecture‐based questions as well as laboratory image‐based questions. As the semester progressed and coronavirus disease case numbers rose, students were offered two options for completing laboratory instruction: (1) continue dissections in socially distant pairs or (2) transition to a virtual lab format. The virtual lab format included a self‐directed module which guided students through the dissections they would have done in person. Each module consisted of a PowerPoint presentation that incorporated interactive software (3D4Medical Complete Anatomy) and dissection images. The self‐directed modules were followed by interactive Zoom sessions, wherein faculty reviewed a prosection and posed clinically relevant questions to the meeting attendees. Students who opted for the virtual lab format were able to review dissections in‐person on their own time or with a tutor. Likewise, students who opted to continue dissection had access to the virtual modules and recordings of the Zoom sessions.Comparison between students completing labs virtually or in‐person showed no difference in aggregate performance on examinations. This study examined medical knowledge and did not investigate other competencies impacted by lab activities (teamwork, dealing with death, and the “first patient” experience). We consider hands‐on dissection to be the gold‐standard format for learning gross anatomy, but this study showed by direct comparison in a single course, that multiple laboratory formats can yield equivalent understanding of the complex structure of the body.

A Large‐Scale Virtual Reality Deployment for Distance Education in Human Anatomy

The arrival of COVID‐19 and accompanying restrictions posed many challenges to education communities worldwide. In response, a large‐scale virtual reality (VR) course was constructed and deployed at Colorado State University for a remote human anatomy course. Enrolled students received a VR capable laptop and head‐mounted display and participated in synchronous online laboratory and recitation sessions. The program enabled students to work collaboratively in a common virtual space and learn human anatomy from digital cadavers and volumized medical data (CT and MRI). We hypothesized that VR is an effective method to increase student engagement and knowledge acquisition in human anatomy. Qualitative data was collected on student engagement, confidence, and reactions to the new technology. Quantitative data assessed student knowledge acquisition and retention of anatomical spatial relationships when using VR and two‐dimensional (2D) methods. Results suggested that using VR matched 2D methods in terms of student knowledge acquisition and retention of anatomical relationships. Qualitative data indicated that VR enhanced student engagement and increased opportunities for students to interact with teaching assistants, peers, and the content. Students further reported the unique aspects of the VR program allowed them to explore the content in novel ways. There was a statistically significant increase in student examination scores when compared to previous in‐person laboratories. Overall, the virtual classroom maintained the rigor of traditional gross anatomy laboratories without negatively impacting student examination scores and provided a high level of accessibility, without compromising learner engagement. This novel approach provides a highly engaging and interactive solution to distance education.

Male and Female Students in Upper‐Division Undergraduate Human Anatomy and Physiology Course Benefit Similarly from Metacognitive Instruction but Experience Different Correlations Between Self‐Efficacy and Grades

We implemented instruction on the role of metacognition and on metacognitive strategies in an undergraduate, upper-division, two semester Human Anatomy and Physiology sequence. We previously reported that metacognitive training improved self-reported metacognitive performance and buffered decreases in self-efficacy but did not improve measures of academic performance for these students (Schaefer, 2018). This work expands on those findings to examine whether metacognitive training differentially impacted male vs. female student metacognitive practices, self-efficacy, or academic performance. Metacognitive ability and self-efficacy are well-documented to have direct relationships with academic success (Bandura, 1977; Flavell, 1979; Nickerson et al, 1985; Multon et al., 1991; Pajares, 1996; Georghiades, 2000; Zimmerman, 2000; Flavell et al., 2002; Tanner, 2012; Trujillo and Tanner, 2014). Self-efficacy and metacognitive ability have also been linked to each other, but whether they have a causative relationship or are linked via an indirect mechanism is unknown (Houtveen et al., 2004; Cera et al., 2013). If metacognition and self-efficacy have a synergistic effect on academic performance, the effect would be especially important in courses perceived as “challenging” (such as upper-division biology courses) because self-efficacy is situation-specific such that general academic ability may not determine self-efficacy in the challenging course. Male and female students entered the first semester of the course with no difference in self-reported metacognitive performance between genders, measured by the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire Metacognitive Self-Regulation scale (Pintrich et al., 1991). Female students entered the course with higher GPAs while male students entered with higher self-efficacy. Students were split into a metacognitive instruction group and a control group based on course section enrollment. The metacognitive treatment group received regular instruction in metacognitive strategies and in the role of metacognition for academic success. The control group received no explicit instruction on metacognition. Students of both genders who received metacognitive instruction improved self-reported metacognitive practices while students who did not receive metacognitive instruction did not improve. Therefore, metacognitive instruction was effective for both genders. Students of both genders reported decreased self-efficacy, measured by the New General Self-Efficacy scale (Chen et al., 2001), and increasingly correlated self-efficacy with exam scores throughout the semester. Male and female final grades and average exam scores strongly correlated with end of course self-efficacy in the fall semester. Female students, but not male students, demonstrated a correlation between average exam scores and beginning of course self-efficacy. Metacognitive instruction did not improve exam scores or final course grades in either gender.

Predicting final grades in STEM courses: A path analysis of academic motivation and course-related behavior using self-determination theory

Within self-determination theory, a considerable amount of previous research has shown that autonomous motivation is associated with higher levels of academic achievement and wellness among students. However, it is notable that few studies have included large samples of undergraduates who are enrolled in science courses. Moreover, to our knowledge no previous research has investigated the associations among autonomous and controlled motivations, course attendance, time spent studying, perceived course difficulty, and final course grades simultaneously. The current study was designed to begin to fill this gap in the literature. In the fall (33 course sections) and spring (29 course sections) semesters, undergraduate students (N = 1284) who were enrolled in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and human anatomy and physiology courses responded to a 24-item survey at the beginning (Time 1) and at the end (Time 2) of the semester. The results revealed considerable stability in motivation over time as well as strong association between autonomous and controlled motivations at each time point. Autonomous motivation at Time 2 predicted higher levels of time spent studying and final course grades, and lower levels of perceived course difficulty. Controlled motivation at Time 2 predicted higher levels of course attendance, time spent studying, and perceived course difficulty, and lower levels of final course grades. These findings indicate that both autonomous and controlled motivations contribute to final course grades (albeit in opposite directions) and highlight the importance of creating need-supportive educational climates that facilitate the cultivation of autonomous motivation.

Factors associated with academic performance in undergraduate health sciences students enrolled in the human anatomy course

Introduction: Human anatomy is a core subject that poses a great academic challenge for students who are admitted to the health sciences undergraduate degree programs. Objective: To know the socio-academic profile of first-year students of several health sciences undergraduate programs and to assess the association between, on the one hand, academic performance during secondary education, study habits and performance in the university admission science test, and, on the other, academic performance in the human anatomy course. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional correlational study conducted in 2018. The study population consisted of 306 first-year students enrolled in 7 health sciences undergraduate programs offered by the Faculty of Medical Sciences of a public university in Santiago de Chile, Chile. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation between the variables of interest. Also, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed to establish the factors significantly associated with the final grade obtained in the course. A level of significance of p<0.05 was considered. Results: The mean age of the participants was 19.8 years, 98.6% were single, and 65.3% were female. A significant association was observed between the final grade obtained in the course and the score obtained in the university admission test (p=0.000) and the high school grade point average (p=0.001); however, this association was not significant with the variables considered as study habits. Conclusion: Academic performance in the human anatomy course was associated with the students’ prior knowledge, but not with their study habits. Thus, educational interventions in this university should focus more on leveling students’ knowledge, rather than on optimizing their study habits.

Integrating Clinical Reasoning Skills in a Pre-professional Undergraduate Human Anatomy Course.

Clinically integrated curricula in health science education has been shown to promote the development of problem-solving schema and positively impact knowledge acquisition. Despite its' purported benefits, this type of curricula can impose a high cognitive load, which may negatively impact novice learners' knowledge acquisition and problem-solving schema development. Introducing explicit clinical reasoning instruction within pre-professional undergraduate basic science courses may limit factors that increase cognitive load, enhance knowledge acquisition, and foster developing clinical problem-solving skills. This study, conducted over the Fall and Spring semesters of the 2018-2019 school year, sought to evaluate whether the implementation of a clinical reasoning instructional intervention within a clinically integrated pre-professional undergraduate general human anatomy course influenced students' acquisition of anatomical knowledge and development of clinical problem-solving skills. Results of the study were mixed regarding the acquisition of anatomical knowledge. Both the intervention and comparison groups performed similarly on multiple choice examinations of anatomical knowledge. However, the clinical reasoning intervention positively impacted students' ability to apply clinical reasoning skills to anatomically based clinical case studies. Results from M\mixed between-within subjects analysis of variance comparing scores on Written Clinical Reasoning Assessments revealed a significant interaction between time and group affiliation, with the groups receiving the interventions outperforming the comparison groups: Fall, P<0.001; Spring, P<0.001. The results of this study may imply that explicit clinical reasoning instruction within a clinically integrated undergraduate Human Anatomy course could hold potential for fostering students' early clinical reasoning skills.

Effectiveness Of Blended Learning In Human Anatomy Courses

It is very demanding to teach anatomy in the present curriculum of medical education. The amount of time allotted to teach and learn human anatomy is diminishing. The traditional teaching method is no longer effective in being able to provide vast amounts of human anatomy learning material. Besides, this method is also passive, which is not liked by the current generation of students. Various disciplines have widely used the learning approach with the blended learning method. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of the blended learning method (BL) with the traditional teaching (TT) method on the student's final grades and the percentage of graduation rates for the gross human anatomy courses. A total of 217 final student grades from Batch 2016 (69 students), Batch 2017 (69 students), and Batch 2018 (79 students) were collected and analyzed. Students in Batch 2018 received the blended learning (BL) method while the Batch 2016 and Batch 2017 received the traditional teaching (TT) method. The mean final scores between the BL and TT methods were compared, also the percentage of graduation rates between the two methods. There was a significant mean difference in the student's final grade (P &lt;0.001) between the BL method (66.77) versus the TT method (47.84). The percentage of students who passed with the BL method (65.82%) is higher than the TT method (10.14%). The result concluded blended learning method is more effective in increasing the final grade and percentage of graduating students than the traditional teaching method for gross human anatomy courses.

Effectiveness Of Blended Learning In Human Anatomy Courses

It is very demanding to teach anatomy in the present curriculum of medical education. The amount of time allotted to teach and learn human anatomy is diminishing. The traditional teaching method is no longer effective in being able to provide vast amounts of human anatomy learning material. Besides, this method is also passive, which is not liked by the current generation of students. Various disciplines have widely used the learning approach with the blended learning method. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of the blended learning method (BL) with the traditional teaching (TT) method on the student's final grades and the percentage of graduation rates for the gross human anatomy courses. A total of 217 final student grades from Batch 2016 (69 students), Batch 2017 (69 students), and Batch 2018 (79 students) were collected and analyzed. Students in Batch 2018 received the blended learning (BL) method while the Batch 2016 and Batch 2017 received the traditional teaching (TT) method. The mean final scores between the BL and TT methods were compared, also the percentage of graduation rates between the two methods. There was a significant mean difference in the student's final grade (P &lt;0.001) between the BL method (66.77) versus the TT method (47.84). The percentage of students who passed with the BL method (65.82%) is higher than the TT method (10.14%). The result concluded blended learning method is more effective in increasing the final grade and percentage of graduating students than the traditional teaching method for gross human anatomy courses.

Instructional Approaches: Anatomy Education of Physical Therapists.

The profession of physical therapy has undergone an evolution since its inception. Since the early 1900s it has grown from a technical training program to a doctorate level degree. Human anatomy courses remain a requirement for physical therapist educational curricula. However, changes in anatomy pedagogy have been trending within health profession educational models, leading to questions regarding which method is best for student learning. The objective of this study was to determine if anatomy instructional method used within physical therapist educational curricula impacted current anatomy knowledge. Licensed physical therapists were recruited to complete a demographic survey and a questionnaire to demonstrate their knowledge of anatomy topics. Anatomy topics included six regional components: (1) upper limb; (2) lower limb; (3) thorax and abdomen; (4) pelvis; (5) spine; and (6) head. Each regional component contained five questions regarding systemic subsets related to joints and osteology, muscles, nervous system, vasculature, and special areas (e.g., spatial orientations, structures within spaces, pathways of nerves). Within the thorax and abdominal region, data analysis indicated that the dissection instruction method, when compared to no laboratory instruction, led to statistically significant greater anatomical knowledge (P=0.02). Dissection also showed greater means when compared to the no laboratory method (P=0.02) and the prosection method in the head region (P=0.01). However, the variance explained by instructional method was small. This study adds empirical evidence regarding current anatomy knowledge exhibited by physical therapists as the level of anatomical knowledge exhibited small differences based on instructional methods.

The role of prelaboratory assignments in the improvement of academic performance and enhancement of intrinsic motivation in human cadaveric anatomy

Cadaveric dissection is a core component of teaching in human anatomy. However, students often attend the cadaver laboratory with limited preparation, which detrimentally impacts their learning. The use of pre-laboratory assignments (PLAs) that require students to prepare for a cadaver dissection session has been reported to improve student performance and encourage higher-order understanding of educational material. In the context of active learning, high levels of intrinsic motivation (IM) in students are associated with greater effort, and consequently better overall academic success. However, the maintenance of the IM of students in anatomy is often challenging for educators. This study aimed to explore the role of PLAs in the improvement of academic performance and enhancement of IM in occupational therapy students enrolled in a human anatomy course. One cohort of students were expected to complete PLAs prior to each cadaveric dissection session. The PLAs required students to write a brief anatomical description of each anatomical structure. The control group consisted of students who were not required to complete similar PLAs. Students who were advised to complete PLAs had a higher score on the practical examinations, and enhanced IM as compared to students in the control group. Further, the qualitative responses of students indicated that students perceived PLAs to be useful in the learning of anatomy. Therefore, PLAs are a valuable teaching tool, and represent a crucial element in revitalizing the anatomy curriculum.

Outcomes of 2 Multimodal Human Anatomy Courses Among Doctor of Physical Therapy Students (Entry-Level): A Quasi-experimental Study

Introduction. Alternative methods of anatomy instruction have increased in popularity; however, cadaveric dissections were not consistently reported as the most effective teaching tool. Subjects from 2 professional (entry-level) physical therapist education programs who were taught anatomy using multimodal strategies and either cadaveric dissection or prosected cadavers were compared. The purposes of this study were to 1) determine subjects' approach to learning (surface or deep), 2) determine the preferred learning style of the subjects, 3) assess the subjects' retention of anatomy at the completion of an anatomy course and 6 months later, and 4) determine how much time subjects spent in learning activities for each anatomy pedagogy. Methods. Outcome measures consisted of an anatomy quiz, the Revised 2-Factor Study Process Questionnaire, a Learning Perception Inventory, and the Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic Questionnaire. Data were collected at 3 points during the study: before anatomy class, immediately at the conclusion of the anatomy class, and 6 months after the class had ended. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and included descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon signed ranks tests, and Mann–Whitney U tests. Results. Subjects in both programs were kinesthetic learners who used a deep learning approach. Subjects were able to retain anatomical knowledge postanatomy and 6 months after the class ended, no matter which learning tools were used. The group who worked with prosected cadavers perceived spending more total time preparing for anatomy class. Discussion and Conclusion. Based on these results, cadaveric prosection was as effective as cadaveric dissection in 2 multimodal anatomy classes for subjects in 2 professional (entry-level) physical therapist education programs.

Is Compressed and Limited Synchronous Delivery of Anatomy Content in a Hybrid Delivery Format Effective in Transitional OT Student Learning?

Hybrid occupational therapy (OT) students transitioning from certified OT assistants (COTAs) to OTs can successfully learn graduate-level anatomy in a compressed format with limited synchronous instruction time. The effectiveness of a human anatomy course with limited synchronous instruction time for transitional hybrid occupational therapy students was investigated. A retrospective, non-randomized study was used. A university graduate level human anatomy course for transitional OT students used prosected (previously dissected) cadavers. Students (n=46, 32 instruction hours over 16 weeks) final anatomy course grades for three cohorts were measured retrospectively. There was a 98% first-time pass rate and 100% second time pass rate. Less than 5% of the students needed to either repeat the course (one student) or withdrew from the course prior to course completion (one student). Results suggest that a hybrid learning model with limited synchronous instruction time is effective for transitional OT students learning human anatomy. Programs should consider how instruction time and distribution impacts anatomy learners, and when there is limited time in the classroom, investigate alternative pedagogies for those few students who would benefit from a more immersive-learning environment. Anatomy knowledge is essential in progressing through occupational therapy curriculums and is needed for client management. Understanding what factors impact learning anatomy could assist in creating more effective anatomy courses for occupational therapy students.

EFEKTIVITAS PEMBELAJARAN KOOPERATIF TIPE KANCING GEMERINCING (Talking Chips) TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR MAHASISWA

The cooperative learning model is a learning model that can make students discover and develop ideas, find solutions, and build their knowledge. Talking Chips is one of the cooperative learning model types. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of cooperative learning with the Talking Chips type toward learning outcomes in the human physiology anatomy course. This research was quasi-experimental and designed with a One Group Pre-test. The sample of this study was 25 students of the VI semester of UMMA biology education study program in the human physiology anatomy course. The results showed that the average learning outcomes of students after taught with the learning model was 80, higher than students before taught with the model namely 65.8. The hypothesis testing with the independent sample t-test obtained tcount 3.149 higher than t table 1.67. It indicates that the student learning outcomes after applying the cooperative learning model are significantly better than before the learning model applicated.

Higher-Order Assessment in Gross Anatomy: A Comparison of Performance on Higher- Versus Lower-Order Anatomy Questions between Undergraduate and First-Year Medical Students.

Gross anatomy is considered by many the backbone of medical education. While learning anatomy has a reputation of requiring mainly rote memorization, modern day anatomy education often involves instruction and assessment at cognitive levels that foster higher-order thinking. In many instances, these higher-order anatomical concepts are taught to graduate students in healthcare-related fields, such as medicine. At this level, students are expected to apply and analyze anatomical information since that is what will ultimately be expected of them as professionals. In contrast, undergraduate anatomy education is typically more introductory in nature and often takes place in the setting of a large-enrollment course that serves as a prerequisite for many health sciences degree programs. In this study, variables related to the assessment of higher-order concepts in clinical anatomy were compared between first-year medical students and undergraduate students enrolled in an upper-level human gross anatomy course. Results demonstrate that undergraduate students perform lower than medical students overall, but the degree of difference in how they perform on higher- versus lower-order questions is comparable. The most notable exception is on practical examinations, where undergraduate students tend to struggle more with applying and analyzing information. Exploration of additional variables provides insight into how the cognitive level being assessed affects the time it takes to answer a question and how different practical examination question types and formats influence student performance. Findings presented in this study have implications for designing anatomy courses and underscore the importance of blueprinting assessments.

Analisis Kesalahan Mahasiswa pada Penyelesaian Soal Mata Kuliah Anatomi &amp; Fisiologi Manusia

Human Anatomy and Physiology is one of the courses for biology students that is abstract so that not a few students have difficulty studying it. Errors in answering questions can be used as clues to determine the student's mastery of material. This study aims to determine student errors in solving problems in the Human Anatomy &amp; Physiology course. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. The data collection method used is the test method. The subjects in this study were biology education students in semester V of the Nineteenth November University Kolaka Academic Year 2019/2020 who took Human Anatomy and Physiology courses. The instrument used in this study was the UAS test questions in the Human Anatomy &amp; Physiology course. The results of the analysis showed that the most difficult questions for students to understand were questions on the function of the eye parts where the points obtained by nine students were only 2 points with the percentage of correct answers only 2%. While the questions on autoimmune disease material got the most correct percentage of answers where the number of points was nine students, namely 31 with a percentage of 34%. From the research results, it can be concluded that by analyzing student errors in answering questions, it can be seen what material is difficult for students to understand so that it can help lecturers to improve the learning process in the following semester.

Comparison of the Effects of Clay Modeling &amp; Cat Cadaver Dissection on High School Students’ Outcomes &amp; Attitudes in a Human Anatomy Course

Increasing public concern over the use of animal dissection in education is driving development and testing of alternatives to animal use. Clay modeling has proven successful in achieving comparable or superior learning at postsecondary levels, but it has not yet been tested at secondary levels. This study tested the effectiveness and appeal of clay models vs. cat cadaver dissection in teaching human anatomy to high school students. Student performance on a content knowledge assessment increased following both the model and dissection laboratories. The use of clay models produced better short-term learning outcomes in human anatomy for high school students than the use of cat dissection techniques, although this improvement was not retained in students’ final examination scores. Students found the clay models both useful and enjoyable. Overall, the majority of students chose dissection as the preferred technique; however, after the laboratory exercises, the proportion of students who chose dissection decreased, for both the clay modeling and cat dissection laboratory sections. In the clay modeling group, the proportion of students expressing preference for clay modeling was slightly higher than the proportion preferring cat dissection.

Exploring the Utility and Student Perceptions of Synthetic Cadavers in an Undergraduate Human Anatomy Course

The synthetic cadaver is a high-fidelity model intended to replace or supplement other anatomy learning modalities. Academic attainment and student perceptions were examined in an undergraduate human anatomy course using a combination of plastic models and synthetic cadavers to learn lower body anatomy ("Experimental group"), compared to a Historical group who used only plastic models. Grades on an upper body test, for which both groups used only plastic models, were compared to ensure that no academic differences existed between groups (P=0.7653). Students in the Experimental group performed better on the lower body test for which they used both plastic models and synthetic cadavers (median=73.8% (95% CI: 72.0%-75.0%) compared to the Historical group (70.1% (95% CI: 68.3%-70.7%), P<0.0001); however, less than half of students (49%) attributed this to the synthetic cadavers. Students' perception of laboratory resources (P<0.0001) and learning experience (P<0.0001) both improved with the addition of synthetic cadavers compared to using only plastic models, and 60% of students in the Experimental group agreed that the synthetic cadavers would be a key reason that they would choose that institution for undergraduate studies. This investigation showed improved student grades when plastic models and synthetic cadavers were combined, in addition to improved student perceptions of the learning experience. Results of the student questionnaires also suggested that although synthetic cadavers carry a notable up-front cost, they may be a useful recruitment tool for institutions.