Anatomical sciences education
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Radiology and radiologists are recognized as increasingly valuable resources for the teaching and learning of anatomy. State-of-the-art radiology department workstations with industry-standard software applications can provide exquisite demonstrations of anatomy, pathology, and more recently, physiology. Similar advances in personal computers and increasingly available software can allow anatomy departments and their students to build their own three-dimensional virtual models. ⋯ Although only static images are presented in this article, further material is available online within the electronic version of this article. Through the use of basic and advanced image reconstruction and also paying attention to optimized presentation and integration, anatomy courses can be strengthened with appropriate radiological material. There are several key advantages for the anatomy department, which is equipped with the ability to produce virtual models using radiology images: (1) Opportunities to present anatomy using state-of-the-art technology as an adjunct to current practices, (2) a means to forge an improved relationship with the local radiology department, and (3) the ability to create material locally, which is integrated with the local curriculum avoiding the problem of information overload when using the internet or other commercially available resources.
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Basic and superior reasoning skills are woven into the clinical reasoning process just as they are used to solve any problem. As clinical reasoning is the central competence of medical education, development of these reasoning skills should occur throughout the undergraduate medical curriculum. The authors describe here a method of teaching reasoning skills in a clinical context during a human anatomy course.
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This study used qualitative and quantitative approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of self-learning modules (SLMs) developed to facilitate and individualize students' learning of basic medical sciences. Twenty physiology and nineteen microanatomy SLMs were designed with interactive images, animations, narrations, and self-assessments. Of 41 medical students, 40 students voluntarily completed a questionnaire with open-ended and closed-ended items to evaluate students' attitudes and perspectives on the learning value of SLMs. ⋯ SLMs were reported to allow learner control, to help in preparation for subsequent in-class discussion, and to improve understanding and retention. A significant difference in students' performance was observed when comparing SLM-related items with non-SLM items in the midterm examination (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the use of SLMs in an integrated basic science curriculum has the potential to individualize the teaching and improve the learning of basic sciences.