Evaluation by medical students of the educational value of multi-material and multi-colored three-dimensional printed models of the upper limb for anatomical education.

For centuries, cadaveric material has been the cornerstone of anatomical education. For reasons of changes in curriculum emphasis, cost, availability, expertise, and ethical concerns, several medical schools have replaced wet cadaveric specimens with plastinated prosections, plastic models, imaging, and digital models. Discussions about the qualities and limitations of these alternative teaching resources are on-going. We hypothesize that three-dimensional printed (3DP) models can replace or indeed enhance existing resources for anatomical education. A novel multi-colored and multi-material 3DP model of the upper limb was developed based on a plastinated upper limb prosection, capturing muscles, nerves, arteries and bones with a spatial resolution of ∼1 mm. This study aims to examine the educational value of the 3DP model from the learner's point of view. Students (n = 15) compared the developed 3DP models with the plastinated prosections, and provided their views on their learning experience using 3DP models using a survey and focus group discussion. Anatomical features in 3DP models were rated as accurate by all students. Several positive aspects of 3DP models were highlighted, such as the color coding by tissue type, flexibility and that less care was needed in the handling and examination of the specimen than plastinated specimens which facilitated the appreciation of relations between the anatomical structures. However, students reported that anatomical features in 3DP models are less realistic compared to the plastinated specimens. Multi-colored, multi-material 3DP models are a valuable resource for anatomical education and an excellent adjunct to wet cadaveric or plastinated prosections. Anat Sci Educ 11: 54-64. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Anatomy, radiology, and practical procedure education for foundation doctors in England: A National Observational Study.

There are concerns regarding the anatomy knowledge amongst medical school graduates and foundation doctors. Clinical procedures performed without relevant anatomical knowledge could result in serious harm to patients. The aim of this quantitative study was to assess education provision in the domains of anatomy, radiology and practical procedures for foundation year doctors during their first two years of training (FY1, FY2). A national survey of acute hospital trusts in England was conducted. Each trust completed a proforma relating to education provision for foundation year doctors between 6/8/2014 and 4/8/2015. A total of 95/161 (59%) acute hospital trusts in England responded. The mean number of teaching hours/year was 55.6±19.0 for FY1 and 57.3±30.4 hours/year for FY2. Anatomy education was provided in eight trusts with a mean of 2.3±1.0 hours/year for FY1 and 2.7±2.0 hours/year for FY2. The mean provision of practical procedure education was 2.2±1.3 hours/year for FY1 and 2.7±4.4 hours/year for FY2. The mean provision of radiology education was 10.5±18.7 hours/year for FY1 and 7.8±14.2 hours/year for FY2. Reasons for the lack of teaching included: lack of time, facilities, teaching staff, financial resources and absence of specific educational domains in the foundation curriculum. Medical education provision for foundation doctors is highly variable. There are wide discrepancies in postgraduate anatomy education, procedural skill training and radiology education between hospital trusts. Clin. Anat. 29:982-990, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

"CoachPod": evaluation of an anatomy teaching podcast originally intended for learning anatomy on the move

Warwick Medical School (WMS) has no dissection facilities; students travelled by coach to the nearest medical school. The "CoachPod" is a series of podcasts designed to prepare students for dissection whilst travelling to dissection lab classes. Each podcast was filmed a week prior to each session and uploaded to the WMS website for students in the 2007 cohort (n=203). Evaluation was performed using a questionnaire with tickbox, Likert scale and free text questions. Overall response rate averaged 28%. Sixty-five percent watched the CoachPod on a computer, 34% watched it on an MP4 player, 55% viewed it at home, 31% viewed it on the coach, 26% watched each episode more than once, 83% perceived it as beneficial in aiding preparation, 51% felt the Coach was an appropriate learning environment, 90% felt they were of an appropriate length and that the anatomy was presented clearly, 89% believed the recordings were of adequate quality, 84% valued their tutors being in them, 92% enjoyed watching them, and 98% would value continued production. Suggestions for improvement were mostly on technical matters. CoachPod is considered a valuable dissection preparation tool, although it is mainly used at home and not on the move. Just-in-time preparation allowed subsequent incorporation of feedback

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An unusual anatomical explanation for contralateral upper extremity weakness after frontal craniotomy.

Contralateral upper extremity weakness following resection of a frontal tumor is not unusual to neurosurgeons. The differential diagnosis is broad and includes postoperative brachial plexopathy, which is usually secondary to malpositioning. We report the first known case of postoperative brachial plexopathy secondary to sialadenitis. A 53-year-old woman who had undergone an uncomplicated right frontal craniotomy for resection of a right frontal metastatic lesion developed left upper extremity weakness as well as extensive left neck edema immediately postoperatively. The edema, tracking along the fascial plane of the neck, caused compression of the upper (more superficial) elements of the brachial plexus and ensuing plexopathy. The cause of the neck edema was found to be sialadenitis of the submandibular gland. With medical treatment, the edema slowly resolved and the patient regained full function of her left upper extremity within weeks. This unusual case represents a new etiology of postoperative brachial plexopathy, illustrates the clinical relevance of the anatomy of the neck fasciae, and broadens the differential diagnosis of contralateral weakness following craniotomy for resection of a brain tumor.