Anatomy education of medical and dental students during COVID-19 pandemic: a reality check.

PURPOSE: During this forced down-time of COVID-19 pandemic, shift to virtual anatomy education is the solitary solution to support the learning of students. The purpose of this study was to understand the visible and invisible potential challenges being faced by the 1st year medical and dental students while attending digital anatomy classes. METHODS: The present study was conducted on 81st year medical and dental students who were admitted to their respective college in August 2019 and were willing to participate in the study. A multiple choice close-ended questionnaire regarding their opinion on virtual classes was designed and feedback was taken from the students. RESULTS: Majority (65%) of the students agreed that they missed their traditional anatomy learning i.e., dissection courses, face to face lectures and interaction with mentors. The students strongly felt the lack of confidence and difficulty in the topics completed without dissections, models, microscopic slides and other modalities. 83% felt lack of proper gadgets, high-band width and strong internet connections, a potential barrier in their digital learning. Lack of self-motivation was felt by 69% students. CONCLUSIONS: The current situation of anatomy education is not intentional, and is not the long term silver bullet solution for a visual subject like anatomy. Though learners face a lot of challenges, however, a shift to online must be supported at this time of health crisis. As the digital learning may go for indefinite period, the feedback of students may be helpful for relevant and timely modifications in digital anatomy education.

Virtual thanks giving to a cadaver by medical students exposed to learning anatomy before and amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, Thanks giving ceremony to cadaver was different this year in two ways: the students were partially exposed to cadaveric dissections (for 7 months) and later learned Anatomy via online classes due to lockdown (for 5 months) and secondly it was not feasible to gather for the ceremony so virtual platform was preferred. The purpose of this study was to discern the gratitude for cadaver and to recognize the importance of cadaveric dissection from the reflection of students who experienced hybrid anatomy learning amidst COVID-19. METHODS: The study was conducted on 48 first year medical students who were admitted to the college in August 2019 and were willing to participate. An online invitation was sent to students to participate in virtual thanks giving to cadaver ceremony on the last day of their anatomy class (August 2020). RESULTS: Though the students partially studied gross anatomy with the aid of dissections on the cadaver; however, they expressed respect and gratitude to the silent mentor in the form of a card, poem, drawing or paragraph and shared it via google classroom platform. The students wished if they could continue their anatomy course in dissection hall as paused due to COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Reflection of these students may mark impact on future anatomy students who may or may not get the chance for dissections. The thanks-giving gesture will also help to bind medical science and humanity especially during the crisis of pandemic.