52 - Evidence-based Anatomy Education: A Novel Socio-constructivist Approach to Engage Students in Their Learning

Poster Board Number: 52
There are separate poster presentation times for odd and even posters.
Odd poster #s – first hour
Even poster #s – second hour

Abstract Body : Introduction and Objective
A deep understanding of human anatomy is essential to train competent and safe clinicians. However, the importance of anatomy teaching in medical curricula and the perceived anatomical knowledge of medical students have been decreasing. Therefore, we sought to develop a multimodal approach to anatomy teaching, grounded on cadaveric dissection, based on socio-constructivist concepts, and integrating evidence-based teaching strategies to best motivate students and engage them in their learning.
Materials and Methods
A literature review specific to anatomy teaching, adult education and socio-constructivism was performed, and key findings were retained and incorporated into a comprehensive framework centered on the learners to maximize the benefits of cadaveric dissection in teaching/learning anatomy.
Results
The framework consists of six core concepts. (1) The dissections must be within the learner’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). The course material should not be too simple to avoid boredom, or too complex to avoid confusion. Students are expected to attend anatomy lectures and watch prerecorded dissection videos before entering the laboratory to gain basic understanding of relevant structures. They also have access to resources such as lecture recordings and a 3D anatomy platform to encourage self-directed learning. (2) Social interactions enable students to share their knowledge and learn together more effectively. For instance, a group review at the start of laboratory sessions allows peer tutoring. This benefits from the learning-by-teaching method and prevents the session from falling beyond the ZPD of less-prepared students. (3) Cognitive stimulation at the start and throughout the session is required. Intermittent quizzing is an effective way to increase cognitive engagement while enhancing long-term knowledge retention. Students are also encouraged to walk around the laboratory and try to identify structures on different cadavers, thus developing a more comprehensive knowledge of anatomical variations. (4) Vertical integration of clinical relevance to anatomy teaching increases interest and link-making, which builds a deeper understanding of the subject. This can be achieved by describing the anatomical etiology of different pathologies. (5) Formative evaluation during and after each session helps students retain important information as well as identify knowledge gaps. This also allows the instructor to pinpoint difficult concepts that are to be reviewed at the start of the next session, making use of spaced repetition. (6) With the CanMEDS competencies in mind, the teacher must ensure a safe learning environment by implementing a strict code of conduct for the laboratory. In addition, a demonstration of proper dissection techniques helps create physical safety, whereas psychological safety is maintained by ensuring respectful interactions between students.
Conclusion
In this review, we identified six core concepts to optimize anatomy teaching and provided clear examples of their application, combining recent knowledge on learning and teaching methods with novel digital resources. This framework creates an engaging learning environment where students can develop CanMEDS competencies. Further studies need to be conducted to assess the success of this approach.