Teaching Anatomy To Undergraduate Students.

Introduction: Anatomy is the base of medical science in India and is taught practically to all disciplines of undergraduate health sciences in the first year. It is an acknowledged fact that a basic knowledge of Anatomy is a prerequisite to learn any other branch of medicine. All medical professionals must have a basic knowledge of Anatomy so as to ensure safe medical practice. Traditionally Anatomy teaching consists of didactic lectures as well as dissections or prosections as per the requirement of the course. Lecture is defined as an oral discourse on a given subject before an audience for purpose of instruction and leaning. In the traditional method lectures were taken via chalk & board, but nowadays power point presentations are increasingly being used. To make Anatomy learning both pleasant and motivating, new methods of teaching gross anatomy are being assessed as medical colleges endeavour to find time in their curricula for new content without fore-going fundamental anatomical knowledge. This paper examines the other teaching methodologies for teaching gross anatomy. Conclusion: Proper utilization of newer technologies along with the traditional teaching methods will certainly lead to enhanced understanding of gross anatomy and will ultimately improve students’ performance.

Ece as A Novel Teaching-Learning Method in Curriculum Of Anatomy.

Introduction: Anatomy is one of the basic science disciplines in the medical undergraduate curriculum and forms the foundation for the training of future doctors. It not only involves a vast curriculum but for some students it is a complex and dry subject. To make it interesting, a lot of educators are of the opinion that knowledge of Anatomy should be acquired in a situation resembling those in which it will be applied. MCI (Medical Council of India) in its ‘VISION 2015’, has introduced a restructured curriculum and training program for undergraduate teaching with emphasis on early clinical exposure, integration of basic and clinical sciences, clinical competence and skills and new teaching learning methodologies. This according to MCI, will lead to a new generation of medical graduates of global standards. In the present setup, in the undergraduate curriculum, students are exposed to clinical subjects only during the second year. However, it has been observed that students find it difficult to recollect essential basic concepts during clinical postings. To improve this scenario, it has become necessary to introduce the students to clinical problems within the first undergraduate year itself, as advocated by the MCI. As medical education continues to advance, it is the endeavour of educators as well as MCI, to attempt to prepare students for their professional lives. ECE will help students to develop a professional identity, increase motivation to learn, ensure well integrated knowledge of the basic sciences so as to retain knowledge better and even consider career options earlier. ECE also promotes selfdirected learning and analytical skills in students. Conclusion: ECE is a useful method for a basic science like anatomy if it is taken up with the traditional teaching method. Anatomy will be better understood, retained and later practically applied, if learned in a clinically significant set-up.

Study of Passive Didactic Teacher Centered Approach and an Active Student Centered Approach in Teaching Anatomy.

Introduction: The importance of Anatomy in undergraduate medical education cannot be adequately emphasised. For doctors, the human body is the focus of investigation and intervention on a daily basis; for this reason, the study of anatomy in some form, will continue to be essential to safe medical practice. It is necessary for core knowledge of anatomy to be assimilated by all doctors in order to practice medicine safely. It may be true that most doctors do not need to dissect a cadaver or study a prosection in order to practice, but if they do, it can improve their understanding and this surely has to be of benefit both for the safety of the patient and satisfaction of the doctor as a professional. Teacher-centered typically refers to learning situations in which the teacher asserts control over the material that students study. In contrast,to teacher centered learning, student-centered typically refers to forms of instruction that, for example, give students opportunities to lead learning activities, participate more actively in discussions, design their own learning projects, explore topics that interest them, and generally contribute to the design of their own course of study. Conclusion: We should develop and implement an instructional design that focuses on incorporating activelearning and student-centered pedagogy into what is previously a traditional lecture-based course. These changes will lead to sustainable improvements in student attitudes and performance. Although the changes to be implemented may require a significant time commitment in the first year ,it will essentially be a “one time investment” because it will not require extra effort to teach the revised model in the future. Furthermore, it will not only provide a model for revision of an individual course but can also provide a catalyst for institutional reform.