The integration of brain dissection within the medical neuroscience laboratory enhances learning.

The purpose of this study was to design a one-hour brain dissection protocol for a medical neuroscience course and evaluate the short and long-term effects of its implementation on medical students. First-year medical students (n = 166) participated in a brain dissection activity that included dissection of the basal nuclei and associated deep brain structures. Short-term retention was assessed by administering identical pre- and post-activity tests involving identification of brain structures. Following the brain dissection, the students' posttest scores were significantly higher (68.8% ± 17.8%; mean percent score ± SD) than their pretest scores (35.8% ± 20.0%) (P ≤ 0.0001). Long-term retention was evaluated by conducting an identical assessment five months after completion of the course. Students who participated in the dissection activity (n = 80) had significantly higher scores (46.6% ± 23.8%) than the students who did not participate in the dissection activity (n = 85) (38.1% ± 23.9%) (P ≤ 0.05). In addition to the long-term retention assessment, the NBME® Subject Examination scores of students who participated in the dissection activity were significantly higher than the students who did not participate in the dissection activity (P ≤ 0.01). Results suggest that this succinct brain dissection activity may be a practical addition to an undergraduate medical neuroscience course for increasing the effectiveness of neuroanatomy training. This effect may have long-term benefits on knowledge retention and may be correlated with higher performance levels on standardized subject examinations. Anat Sci Educ 9: 565-574. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Using gross anatomy to teach and assess professionalism in the first year of medical school.

The public is uneasy about the lack of professionalism in physicians chronicled in the different news media. Since professionalism is a set of values developed over a period of time, it is imperative that the evaluation of medical students in regard to these values begins early in their medical school education. In the Gross Anatomy laboratory there are opportunities for students to display such aspects of professionalism as responsibility/accountability for actions, working with others (teamwork), respect for patients, and social responsibility. Because students spend a significant time in the Gross Anatomy laboratory with the faculty, this setting can provide the forum for faculty to assess the expression of principles of professionalism by the students. This requires faculty who are committed to evaluating the progress of students in this regard. Faculty can monitor work ethic, interpersonal relationships, and overall attitude of these students throughout the course. Thus, aspects of professionalism can be introduced, monitored, and evaluated as early as the first semester of medical school.