Self-Directed Learning Versus Traditional Teaching in Learning Gross Anatomy Among First-Year Medical Students: A Comparative Study.

INTRODUCTION: Gross anatomy is the first subject to be grasped by budding medicos before learning a long series of skills and competencies required to bloom as a physician or surgeon. In recent years, the teaching time for anatomy has been reduced. The number of anatomy teachers is much less in comparison to the increasing number of students. There is also a paradigm shift in medical education; it has become competency-based, learner-centric, and technology-based. So, anatomical education is also shifting to adopt blended learning strategies. Now, the onus of learning lies more with the students, which can be promoted through self-directed learning (SDL). Many first-year medical students are unprepared for SDL and need assistance understanding SDL. Structured SDL can successfully instill the habit of SDL in young medical students, who are supposed to be lifelong learners in their professional careers. The concept of structured SDL under the supervision of teachers is comparatively new in India. Very few studies are there to compare the effectiveness of SDL with those of traditional teaching methods. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of SDL in learning the gross anatomy of an important viscus, viz., the liver, and to compare it with the effectiveness of the traditional method of teaching by demonstration/prosection. METHODS:  This interventional comparative study was carried out at the department of anatomy of a government medical college in Kolkata, India. Sixty willing first-year undergraduate medical students were included in the study. The students were divided into two batches (Batch A and Batch B) of 30 each. Students of Batch A were taught the viscus (liver) by the traditional method of teaching by demonstration/prosection for one and a half hours. Validated pre-test and post-test questionnaires were administered to evaluate learning outcomes. Students of Batch B had a structured self-directed learning (SDL) session under the supervision of teachers on the same topic, viz., viscus (liver), for one and a half hours. The pre-test and post-test questionnaires were given before and after the SDL sessions to evaluate learning outcomes. The results were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: It was observed that the mean post-test score after traditional teaching improved significantly compared to the mean pre-test score. Also, the mean post-test score after the SDL session improved significantly compared to the mean pre-test score. It was found that the mean post-test score after exposure to traditional teaching methods was slightly better than the mean post-test scores after exposure to SDL, but this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: It can be inferred that structured SDL under the supervision of teachers was almost as good as the traditional teaching method by demonstration/prosection in learning the gross anatomy of an important viscus, viz., liver. In the context of the reduced number of anatomy teachers and an increasing number of students, this may open up an option of teaching some portion of gross anatomy, like a few viscera, by SDL. However, a more robust study with a larger sample size can be more conclusive.

Quantitative and qualitative assessment of airborne microorganisms during gross anatomical class and the bacterial and fungal load on formalin-embalmed corpses.

Mold growth on body donations remains an underreported yet serious issue in anatomical teaching. Bacterial and fungal growth pose health risks to lecturers and students, alongside with ethical and aesthetic concerns. However, limited information exists on the presence of bacteria and fungi on body donations and their underlying causes. To investigate the potential impact of airborne germs on body donation contamination, we conducted indoor air measurements before, during, and after our anatomical dissection course, with outdoor measurements serving as a control. Tissue samples from the dissected body donations were collected to assess the germ load, with qualitative and quantitative microbiological analyses. Air samples from the dissection hall contained no fungi, but various fungal species were identified in the adjacent stairways and outdoors which implies that fungal occurrence in the dissection hall air was independent of lecturers' and students' presence. Moreover, our results indicate that adequate ventilation filters can effectively reduce indoor fungal germs during courses, while the bacterial load in room air appears to increase, likely due to the presence of lecturers and students. Additionally, the tissue samples revealed no bacterial or fungal germs which implies that our ethanol-formalin-based embalming solution demonstrates an effective long-term antimicrobial preservation of corpses.

Learning Outcomes of Nursing Students' Experience With Cadaveric Dissection: A Scoping Review.

Introduction: Cadaver dissection in anatomy, a cornerstone of medical school education, has been replaced by digital technologies. This study aimed to determine the learning outcomes nursing students could achieve through cadaveric dissection practice (CDP). Methods: This scoping review was carried out using the checklist outlined in the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews through August 2023. Articles from PubMed, ERIC, and CINAL were included. This scoping review included studies that focused on the learning effects of nursing students' experiences with cadaver dissection, written in English, and covered all study types. Results: The cadaveric dissection exercise resulted in a strong interest in the human body and a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology. It also allows for creating an image of care for the patient before death, the meaning of existence after death, acceptance that death is not frightening, and an understanding of the afterlife. Furthermore, the cadaveric dissection exercise has been reported to improve confidence in patient care, lead to a better understanding of what other professions practice, and involve the development of professional identity. Conclusions: Studies on the learning effects of CDP have differed in subject matter and educational methodologies. In the future, while determining how the experience of CDP is related to nursing practice of nursing students and graduates, we must explore effective CDP and develop educational methodologies that can achieve similar learning effects.

Influence of learning strategies and motivation on anatomy test performance of undergraduate medical students.

To learn and comprehend the large amount of information in gross anatomy, undergraduate students must self-regulate their learning to be properly prepared for the exams within the available time. Even though there are many studies on learning strategies and their influence on test results and motivation, the aim of this study is to investigate characteristics of learning strategies in detail and in relation to the anatomy course of first semester students and how their use is related to anatomy test performance. For assessing the learning strategies, we used the short version of the questionnaire "Learning Strategies of University Students" (LIST-K) (Klingsieck, 2018). Further, we investigated potential influences of motivation and resources used during the self-regulated learning process. The participants in this study (N = 108) filled in the above-mentioned questionnaire LIST-K and a written multiple-choice anatomy test. A k-means cluster analysis revealed three groups of students differing in their self-reported use of learning strategies. Students used either (1) predominantly metacognitive and resource-related strategies, (2) predominantly cognitive strategies, or (3) no specific learning strategies at all. We found no significant overall relationships between the use of learning strategies and test performance. A stepwise linear regression identified the use of cognitive learning strategies (ß =.269) as a significant predictor for test performance (R² =.149, p =.003), possibly as these specific learning strategies help with a systematic and effective approach while studying anatomy and retrieving large amount of memorized information. Further, motivation was identified as a negative predictor (ß = -.277), which might be a result of the short time periods students have to study for exams. Overall findings underline the importance of self-regulated learning as a positive predictor for academic performance. By understanding these factors, a more student-centered approach could be adopted by educators to improve medical education and equip students with valuable approaches for their continuous education, even beyond university.

Día de Muertos: A confluence of gross anatomy, culture, and spirituality.

Is there room for spirituality and reflection in gross anatomy? While Jesuit institutions have incorporated contemplation and reflection into their curricula for centuries; the integration of reflective practices into the gross anatomy curriculum has gained traction in recent years. Additionally, more emphasis has been placed on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within health professions education. As a Jesuit, Catholic university that is simultaneously classified as a Hispanic-Serving Institute (HSI), Regis University was well-positioned to integrate reflective and celebratory activities in honor of Día de Muertos (the Day of the Dead) into a graduate level anatomy course for Doctor of Physical Therapy students. From a communal ofrenda (altar) to a celebration during a lecture to a reflective ceremony honoring body donors in the laboratory, students and faculty constructed a learning environment that incorporated spirituality and culture into anatomy in a thoughtful manner. Furthermore, by seeking student input on the design of this innovative educational experience, each of these activities aided in fostering a sense of cultural and spiritual belonging for Hispanic and Latine students who are historically marginalized in health professions, thereby promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through a gross anatomy course.

Students with prior anatomy experience start out stronger in medical school gross anatomy.

Gross anatomy is a crucial course in medical school; it sets the foundation for future coursework and is highly valued by clinicians. While both medical students and faculty recognize the importance of pre-medical school anatomy experience, few medical schools require it as a prerequisite. Consequently, medical school gross anatomy courses have a diverse range of prior anatomy experience among students. Prior studies have shown mixed results regarding the impact of pre-medical school anatomy experience on medical school gross anatomy performance, often using final exam scores as the metric of analysis. In this study, we investigated the relationship between pre-medical school anatomy experience and medical school gross anatomy performance among students at New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine. We surveyed students from all four matriculated years and analyzed their individual anatomy laboratory exam scores and final anatomy laboratory course scores. We found that students with prior anatomy experience performed significantly better on the first anatomy laboratory exam, leading to an overall positive effect on their final anatomy laboratory score. However, this advantage seemed to diminish in subsequent exams, suggesting that students without prior experience rapidly adjusted to the course challenges. Students with prior anatomy experience felt more prepared for the anatomy course, reported lower stress levels, and believed they had an advantage over peers without prior experience. Our study highlights the importance of pre-medical school anatomy experience, particularly for early performance in the anatomy course.

Learning in context: Undergraduate students' knowledge and the content retention of anatomy between discipline-specific and integrated course approaches.

Undergraduate introductory human anatomy and human physiology courses are either taught as discipline-specific or integrated anatomy and physiology (A&P) sequences. An institution underwent a curricular revision to change the course approach from discipline-specific Human Anatomy and Human Physiology to an integrated A&P I and II sequence, allowing the unique opportunity to explore the potential role of contextual learning in academic achievement and content retention. Mediation and moderation analysis was used to evaluate lecture examinations, laboratory practical examinations, and anatomical content retention between the different course approaches. Undergraduate students in the integrated A&P I course approach performed significantly better on lecture assessments and had a higher anatomy content retention rate at the end of the year than students enrolled in the standalone Human Anatomy course. The lecture examination averages between Human Physiology and A&P II (the second course in the sequence), as well as the anatomy laboratory practical examinations, were not significantly different between discipline-specific and integrated course approaches. The results suggest contextual learning-providing physiological context to anatomical structures-increases the anatomical content retention and academic achievement overall.

Medical school students' perspectives on virtual anatomy education in a developing country.

Understanding the fundamental role anatomy education plays in medical training and taking into consideration the nascence of online education in Nigeria, this study evaluated the perceptions of medical and allied-health students toward online anatomy education both during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria and for the future. For this study, Google Form questionnaires were distributed via different social and academic platforms to medical and allied-health students in Nigeria between September 28 and December 17, 2020. A total of 954 students participated in the study and 947 valid responses were recorded. The results showed that 77.6% of the students had reported computer/IT skills and 12.1% admitted that they had never attended an online class. Interestingly, 60% of the respondents disapproved of online learning approaches as effective tools for instructions in the anatomical sciences. Majority of the students (84%) agreed that their performance in anatomy would have been better if the classes were face-to-face, while 55% found the online anatomy classes uninteresting. Furthermore, 91.5% agreed that anatomy educators needed advanced skills for online education, while 94.2% agreed that anatomy online teaching needs more advanced technology to be implemented in Nigeria. This study revealed an overall negative perception about the suitability and effectiveness of online anatomy education in Nigerian medical/health training. This study recommends further investigations into the challenges that were presented during online anatomy education at the peak of the pandemic. This will help direct the development and implementation of a workable and sustainable online education model for anatomical sciences in Nigeria.

Everyone can draw: An inclusive and transformative activity for conceptualization of topographic anatomy.

Anatomical drawing traditionally involves illustration of labeled diagrams on two-dimensional surfaces to represent topographical features. Despite the visual nature of anatomy, many learners perceive that they lack drawing skills and do not engage in art-based learning. Recent advances in the capabilities of technology-enhanced learning have enabled the rapid and inexpensive production of three-dimensional anatomical models. This work describes a "drawing on model" activity in which learners observe and draw specific structures onto three-dimensional models. Sport and exercise sciences (SES, n = 79) and medical (MED, n = 156) students at a United Kingdom medical school completed this activity using heart and femur models, respectively. Learner demographics, their perceptions of anatomy learning approaches, the value of the activity, and their confidence in understanding anatomical features, were obtained via validated questionnaire. Responses to 7-point Likert-type and free-text items were analyzed by descriptive statistics and semi-quantitative content analysis. Learners valued art-based study (SES mean = 5.94 SD ±0.98; MED = 5.92 ± 1.05) and the "drawing on model" activity (SES = 6.33 ± 0.93; MED = 6.21 ± 0.94) and reported enhanced confidence in understanding of cardiac anatomy (5.61 ± 1.11), coronary arteries (6.03 ± 0.83), femur osteology (6.07 ± 1.07), and hip joint muscle actions (5.80 ± 1.20). Perceptions of learners were independent of both their sex and their art-based study preferences (p < 0.05). Themes constructed from free-text responses identified "interactivity," "topography," "transformative," and "visualization," as key elements of the approach, in addition to revealing some limitations. This work will have implications for anatomy educators seeking to engage learners in an inclusive, interactive, and effective learning activity for supporting three-dimensional anatomical understanding.

What Faculty and Students Value When Evaluating Human Digital Anatomy Platforms: A Mixed-Methods Study.

OBJECTIVES: There is an increasing availability of digital technologies for teaching and learning of human anatomy. Studies have shown that such applications allow for better spatial awareness than traditional methods. These digital human anatomy platforms offer users myriad features, such as the ability to manipulate 3D models, conduct prosection, investigate anatomical regions through virtual reality, or perform knowledge tests on themselves. This study examined what faculty members' value when using digital human anatomy platforms for teaching and what students value when using these platforms for learning. METHODS: Six anatomy faculty members and 21 students were selected to participate in this study. After using the three digital anatomy platforms for at least 1 week, a survey was conducted to record their feedback in 4 categories: usability, interactive features, level of detail, and learning support. Respondents' Qualitative feedback within each category was also analyzed to strengthen the study's findings. RESULTS: The study's findings showed that faculty members and students have different priorities when evaluating digital anatomy platforms. Faculty members valued platforms that provided better accuracy and detailed anatomical structures, while students prioritized usability above the rest of the features. CONCLUSION: Given that faculty and students have different preferences when selecting digital anatomy platforms, this article proposed that educators maximize the specific affordances offered by the technology by having a clear pedagogy and strategy on how the technology will be incorporated into the curriculum to help students achieve the desired learning outcomes.

Integrated Case-Based Learning Session for Breast and Upper Limb Anatomy.

Introduction: Medical students are frequently introduced to medical school curricula through anatomy coursework, which often includes histology and embryology content. As medical education has increasingly emphasized integration of content areas, use of activities such as case-based learning (CBL) sessions has grown. Little published work has demonstrated the effectiveness of CBL sessions in integrating anatomy, embryology, and histology on first-year medical students' ability to improve content mastery and adapt their study techniques. Methods: We developed a CBL session that included anatomy, embryology, and histology content covering the upper extremity and breast pathology that was taught to incoming first-year medical students (N = 51) during a prematriculation program in the summers of 2022 and 2023. The session involved completion of an individual pre- and postsession quiz; group completion of clinical cases involving image interpretation, matching exercises, and construction of diagrams, flowcharts, or tables; and a postsession survey with Likert-style and free-response questions about preparation and session effectiveness. Results: Postsession quiz scores significantly improved (p < .001). On the postsession survey (response rate: 59%), students commented that they enjoyed the real-life application and integration of the cases and that the sessions improved their understanding of the connections between content areas. Other comments demonstrated that students were evaluating and adapting their study approach in preparation for the sessions, often using techniques introduced and practiced in the sessions. Discussion: CBL sessions can provide opportunities to incoming first-year medical students to practice, adapt, and evaluate study techniques while delivering integrated content.

Predictive molecular pathology after prolonged fixation: A study on tissue from anatomical body donors.

Histopathological assessment of tissue samples after prolonged formalin fixation has been described previously, but currently there is only limited knowledge regarding the feasibility of molecular pathology on such tissue. In this pilot study, we tested routine molecular pathology methods (DNA isolation, DNA pyrosequencing/next-generation sequencing, DNA methylation analysis, RT-PCR, clonality analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization) on tissue samples from 11 tumor entities as well as non-neoplastic brain tissue from 43 body donors during the gross anatomy course at Ulm University (winter semester 2019/20 and 2020/21). The mean post mortem interval until fixation was 2.5 ± 1.6 days (range, 1-6 days). Fixation was performed with aqueous formaldehyde solution (formalin, 1.5-2%). The mean storage time of body donors was 12.8 ± 5.6 months (range, 7-25 months). While most diagnostic methods were successful, samples showed significant variability in DNA quality and evaluability. DNA pyrosequencing as well as next-generation sequencing was successful in all investigated samples. Methylation analyses were partially not successful in some extend due to limited intact DNA yield for these analyses. Taken together, the use of prolonged formalin-fixed tissue samples from body donors offers new avenues in research and education, as these samples could be used for morpho-molecular studies and the establishment of biobanks, especially for tissue types that cannot be preserved and studied in vivo. Pathological ward rounds, sample collection, and histopathological and molecular workup have been integrated in the gross anatomy course in Ulm as an integral part of the curriculum, linking anatomy and pathology and providing medical students early insight into the broad field of (molecular) pathology.

Macroscopic, microscopic, and immunofluorescent characterization of the Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca graeca) oropharyngeal floor with concern to its feed adaptation as a herbivorous land reptile.

The current investigation focuses on gross anatomy, light, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the Testudo graeca oropharyngeal floor, with particular reference to the immunofluorescence technique to examine its tongue. The T. graeca oropharyngeal floor showed many anatomical structures: the lower rhamphotheca, paralingual ridge, lower alveolar ridge, tongue, laryngeal mound, and glottis. The lower rhamphotheca appeared as a V-shaped jaw line with a highly serrated edge and a median tomium (beak). SEM observations of the lingual apex and the lingual body showed rectangular and conical filiform papillae with porous surfaces and taste pores. Meanwhile, the lingual root had two wings that carried papillae with different shapes: dagger-shaped, conical, bifurcated, and leaf-like papillae, and these papillae lacked taste pores. The laryngeal mound had openings for the laryngeal mucus gland and its secretions. Light microscopy findings showed mucous glands in the propria submucosa and near the mucosal surface of the lingual apex. The lingual root had lingual papillae and two hyaline cartilaginous skeletons between skeletal muscles, and the lingual papillae were elongated filiform, rectangular filiform papillae, and fungiform papillae. The lamina propria constituted the core of the lingual papillae and the mucous gland, they had a positive reaction with the periodic acid schiff (PAS) reagent. The apical surface of the fungiform papillae had taste pores. Under immunofluorescence, the vimentin was detected in taste bud cells, and synaptophysin reacted to the taste buds and nerve bundles. The current study of the Greek tortoise oropharyngeal floor investigated its herbivorous eating habits using its serrated lower rhamphotheca, a large tongue with differently shaped papillae, and numerous mucous glands. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The Greek tortoise (T. graeca graeca) oropharyngeal floor showed many anatomical structures: lower rhamphotheca, paralingual ridge, lower alveolar ridge, tongue, laryngeal mound, and glottis. SEM and light microscopy observations of the tongue revealed varied types and shapes of lingual papillae with a porous surface on the tongue apex (rectangular or conical filiform papillae), on the tongue body (filiform and fungiform papillae), and on the tongue root (dagger-shaped, conical, bifurcated, and leaf-like papillae). Light microscopy findings: the lamina propria constituted the core of the lingual papillae and had numerous mucous glands that had a slightly magenta-red color with PAS reagent. The apical surface of the fungiform papillae had taste pores. Vimentin and synaptophysin gave a reaction to the taste buds.

Use of Clinically Oriented Laboratory Manuals in a Prosection Gross Anatomy Laboratory during COVID-19.

Gross anatomy is a critical course for the development of a variety of skills such as anatomical knowledge and spatial, critical, and clinical reasoning. There have been few attempts to integrate clinical applications in gross anatomy, with the majority of these being in the lecture hall and not in the laboratory. Clinical cases and guided questions were added to a laboratory manual (Clinically Oriented Laboratory Manuals (COLMs)) in a first-year medical gross anatomy prosection course during COVID-19. The effectiveness of the COLMs was analyzed using in-laboratory assessments between treatment and control groups, as well as student perceptions. There was no significant difference between in-lab assessment scores between students with or without the COLMs in 2020 (t1304.735= 0.647, p ;= 0.518). Student perceptions demonstrated that 61.6% strongly agreed or agreed that the COLMs were a good way to learn anatomy and 32.0% desired more COLMs in the lab. Overall, COLMs did not increase student knowledge by the end of a session. Students thought the COLMs were a good tool to learn anatomy because they helped become more clinically aware; however, students desired better implementation of the COLMs. The addition of COLMs in the laboratory is a potential method to address the need for clinical applications within the gross anatomy laboratory. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-023-01970-1.

"My Dead Body": Development, production, and reception of a documentary that publicly displays the dissection of a human donor.

Recently, there has been an emphasis on keeping the study of anatomy using donor material confined to the domain of medical and allied healthcare professionals. Given the abundance of both accurate and inaccurate information online, coupled with a heightened focus on health following the COVID-19 pandemic, one may question whether it is time to review who can access learning anatomy using donors. In 2019, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) obtained a Human Tissue Authority Public Display license with the aim of broadening the reach of who could be taught using donor material. In 2020, BSMS received its first full-body donor with consent for public display. Twelve workshops were delivered to student groups who do not normally have the opportunity to learn in the anatomy laboratory. Survey responses (10.9% response rate) highlighted that despite being anxious about seeing inside a deceased body, 95% felt more informed about the body. A documentary "My Dead Body" was filmed, focusing on the rare cancer of the donor Toni Crews. Viewing figures of 1.5 million, and a considerable number of social media comments highlighted the public's interest in the documentary. Thematic analysis of digital and social media content highlighted admiration and gratitude for Toni, the value of education, and that while the documentary was uncomfortable to watch, it had value in reminding viewers of life, their bodies, and their purpose. Fully consented public display can create opportunities to promote health-conscious life choices and improve understanding of the human body.

Persistence of changed attitudes among students in an integrated anatomy curriculum.

Many medical schools in the United States have integrated anatomy into an organ-based preclinical curriculum with some schools using anatomy as the cornerstone of their reorganization efforts. Curricular change could affect one or more of the three domains of learning, with the cognitive domain often scrutinized exclusively. A previous study reported the impact of anatomy integration on the affective domain, specifically, student attitudes toward learning anatomy. This mixed methods follow-up study asked if the observed attitudinal changes and lack of effect on student knowledge and confidence persisted using knowledge and confidence surveys, focus groups, internal and national surveys, and United States Medical Licensing Examination® performance metrics. Results evidenced the persistence of specific attitudinal differences between cohorts with blocked versus integrated anatomy with no apparent short- or long-term differences in anatomy learning or confidence in this learning. Altered attitudes included lower value placed on working in teams and reflective practices, and less recognition of anatomy's contribution (or less contribution of anatomy learning) to professional identity formation. These attitudinal changes could result in a weaker foundation for building collaborative skills throughout the medical curriculum. A decreased sense of student engagement also followed curricular change, as assessed by data from the American Association of Medical Colleges Year 2 Questionnaire. Overall, results emphasized the necessity of anticipating, monitoring, and if necessary, addressing changes in the affective domain when undertaking curricular change.

Comfort levels and experiences of middle school and high school age children in anatomical donor-based anatomy outreach sessions.

Many health professions schools host anatomy outreach sessions for high school students that utilize anatomical donors. However, teaching with anatomical donors for younger learners is uncommon. This study aimed to assess the comfort levels and experiences of students who attended the anatomy sessions as part of summer programs at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Younger learners (students entering grades 7-10; n = 25) and older learners (students entering grades 11-12; n = 33) completed pre- and post-session surveys about their comfort using a 5-point Likert scale. Before the sessions, most students felt comfortable or very comfortable learning from isolated organs (µ = 2.7, SD = 1.3) or full-body donors (µ = 2.4, SD = 1.4), even though most have never been to an anatomical donor lab before. After the sessions, the comfort level significantly increased for both isolated organs (µ = 3.3, SD = 1.1; p = 0.02) and full-body donors (µ = 3.1, SD = 1.2; p = 0.004). For isolated organs, there was no significant difference in the comfort level between younger and older learners before (p = 0.50) or after (p = 0.56) the sessions. Similarly, for full-body donors, there was no significant difference in the comfort level between younger and older learners before (p = 0.95) or after (p = 0.75) the sessions. Most students expressed that the experience was unique and positive. In conclusion, most students entering grades 7-12 felt comfortable learning from isolated organs and full-body anatomical donors prior to the sessions and felt more comfortable after the sessions. With this, anatomy outreach programs that utilize anatomical donors could be expanded to include younger learners to provide more dynamic teaching experiences for students of various ages.

Macro- and micro-morphological comparison of the detailed structure of the oral cavity roof in two different feeding habits marine fishes: Pagrus pagrus and Boops boops.

The feeding habits and habitats of fish influence the morphology of the oral cavity. This study used gross anatomy, light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, in addition to morphometric analysis, to investigate the anatomical characteristics of the oral cavity roof in Pagrus pagrus and Boops boops, which have different dietary habits. The oral cavity roof appeared U-shaped and divided into the palate and upper pharyngeal regions. The upper lip of P. pagrus was broad, while B. boops' upper lip was small and thin. Both species had a stratified squamous epithelium with an irregular shape and a folded surface. P. pagrus had a horseshoe-shaped upper velum with a high middle part, and its surface resembled sea waves with obvious mucous-secreting openings with cilia and many folds and grooves between them. B. boops's upper velum was thin and appeared as a triangle pouch with a pointed cranial apex. The palate in both species was narrow in the front and increased in width backward until it ended. The upper pharyngeal teeth in P. pagrus appeared as two patches, separated by a median longitudinal ridge and an anterior V-shape separator. Meanwhile, in B. boops, they appeared as a ball patch on both sides and a separator ridge in the middle. Because P. pagrus fed on harder structures than B. boops, their feeding habits were reflected in the structure of the oral cavity roof. P. pagrus, a carnivorous species, had several rows of sharp upper jaw and upper pharyngeal teeth, thick spinous tubercles on oblique transverse ridges, and massive mucous glands. On the other hand, B. boops, an omnivorous species, had only one row of upper jaw teeth, a few upper pharyngeal teeth scattered on two oval patches, and thin filaments on the oblique transverse ridges.

The effect of pre-body donor quizzes on student performance in a hybrid anatomy course.

Learning human anatomy is essential for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education. Body donors are traditionally utilized to understand content, but in a hybrid learning environment, students have limited time to use body donors. To improve body donor access and learning, we created online synchronous pre-body donor activities. The impact of these online strategies on students' subsequent exams and final grade were investigated in a non-randomized, observational study. These activities were hypothesized to positively influence students' anatomy performance. In a 16-week semester, DPT students (case [n = 91], control [n = 22]) participated in a hybrid program of asynchronous/synchronous online learning and two in-person immersions. Measures included student course grades and teaching surveys. Spearman's rho correlations analyzed the relationship between four pre-body donor quizzes to body donor exams, written exams, and final course grade. Mann-Whitney U tests assessed differences in grades between cohorts. A linear regression model examined the influence of pre-body donor quizzing on exams/final grades. Correlation tests revealed a strong relationship between the average pre-body donor quiz score and both the first written exam and final course grade (p = 0.0001). The case group achieved significantly higher scores than the control group on the first in-person body donor exam (p = 0.011), the second written exam (p = 0.0001), and the final grade (p = 0.004). The pre-body donor quizzes predicted performance on the subsequent in-person body donor exams, written exams, and the final grade. Implementation of online pre-body donor learning activities was associated with increased academic performance among hybrid DPT students and may aid in learning anatomy concepts for clinical practice.

Three-dimensional modeling in anatomy-Tool or terror?

Three-dimensional (3D) modeling is a recent, innovative approach to teaching anatomy. There is little literature, however, to suggest how 3D modeling is best used to teach students and whether or not students can gain the same level of understanding as they might use more traditional, hands-on, teaching methods. This study evaluated the use of a 3D modeling software in both a flipped classroom curriculum and as an active learning tool in comparison to traditional, physical model-based teaching. Pre- and post-course content-based assessments were used to evaluate students' learning. Our findings indicated no significant difference between standard and flipped classroom learning; however, the students who used 3D modeling software as an active learning tool significantly underperformed students in the standard group (F(2,1060) = 112.43, p < 0.0001). These findings suggest that these technologies may not yet be useful as a primary means of instruction. Possible explanations may include cognitive overload in navigating the system, intrinsic limitations of the software, or other factors. Further development and research of these technologies is necessary prior to their adoption into teaching practices in anatomy.