Do learning styles influence learning outcomes in anatomy in first-year medical students?

Background: Learning styles are a key element for teachers for any given learning environment. The Visual, Aural/Auditory, Reading/write, Kinesthetic (VARK) instrument is easy to administer and can have an impact on the quality of learning environment. The present study was done to understand the learning styles preferred by the students using VARK questionnaire and correlating learning styles with their academic performance. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 100 first-year MBBS students. Students were categorized into five groups of learners: visual, auditory, read/write, kinesthetic, and multimodal, based on their scores obtained after administering VARK questionnaire. First internal marks of theory and practicals were collected. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done in five groups of learning styles. Results: Out of 97, 13 were visual, 25 were auditory, 5 were read/write, 40 were kinesthetic, and 14 were multimodal type of learners. Three students were chronic absentees and were excluded from the study. The student who scored highest in theory internal assessment belonged to visual and kinesthetic type of learner, whereas who scored least was a kinesthetic learner. The student who scored highest in practical internal assessment was a multimodal learner and who scored least was a kinesthetic learner, The P value for theory was 0.773 and for practicals was 0.26, ANOVA for theory is 0.33 and for practicals is 0.057. Conclusion: There was no statistic difference in theory performance, however with respect to practicals, the ANOVA value was 5%. Hence, the aforementioned results may be suggestive of correlation between learning style and academic performance.

An osteological study of occipitocervical synostosis: its embryological and clinical significance.

BACKGROUND: Synostosis or fusion of atlas with occipital bone is known as occipitocervical synostosis, occipitalization of the atlas, or atlanto-occipital fusion. This is a rare congenital malformation at craniovertebral junction. Its incidence ranges from 0.08%-3% in general population. Occipitocervical synostosis result in narrowing of foramen magnum which may compress the brain stem, vertebral artery and cranial nerves. Knowledge of occipitocervical synostosis is important for the surgeons during the surgeries in the craniovertebral region. Hence, the present study was undertaken to determine the incidence and to describe the morphology of the occipitocervical synostosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two-hundred dry adult human skulls of Indian origin were studied in the Department of anatomy. The base of these skulls was observed for presence of atlanto-occipital fusion. The anteroposterior and transverse diameter of the foramen magnum and diameter of the inferior articular facets were measured in these skulls using digital vernier caliper. RESULTS: Two skulls showed occipitalization of Atlas (1%). One of the skulls showed partial fusion (0.5%) while the other showed complete occipitalization (0.5%). CONCLUSION: The knowledge of bony fusion between the cranial base and the first cervical vertebra is important as such skeletal anomaly may result in sudden unexpected death due to compression of the vital structures such as brain stem and vertebral arteries.

The flexor indicis profundus - its morphology and clinical significance.

The knowledge on the anatomical variations of the deep flexor muscles is important due to its evolutionary significance. The flexor digitorum profundus is the deep flexor muscle of the forearm. It is a composite muscle with a dual nerve supply. The medial half of muscle is supplied by the ulnar nerve, and lateral half of the muscle is supplied by the anterior interosseous nerve, a branch of the median nerve. It flexes the distal phalanges of the medial four digits. In the present case, we observed the presence of extensive cleavage of belly and tendon of flexor digitorum profundus to form flexor indicis profundus on the right side in an adult male cadaver. Flexor indicis profundus muscle is an example of progressive type of variation and it is usually asymptomatic, but it may cause compression of the anterior interosseous nerve, which can lead to compression neuropathy. If it is enlarged, it may simulate a ganglion.