Psychological first aid in operation for military healthcare providers : a study on pre-deployment training.

INTRODUCTION: During operational missions, while the management of physical injuries in the field remains the priority, the identification of operational incapacity of psychological origin is necessary as it is equally crucial for the safety of the individual, the group and the mission. The French Military Health Service has developed a Psychological First Aid Training in Operation (PFATO) course based on relational simulations, for military service members. The aim is to identify the early signs of psychological distress in a comrade and to adopt an adapted and protective attitude. PFATO training is also offered to healthcare providers. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study using a self-administered online questionnaire which was sent after deployment to all physicians or nurses trained in PFATO between July 2019 and July 2021 (n=80). The main objective of our work was to evaluate the relevance of this awareness training among physicians and nurses and to identify specific complementary expectations in operational psychiatry for this population. RESULTS: We obtained a response rate of 55%. Significantly, 21.62% of participants used PFATO during their last deployment and another 20% observed a team member using PFATO. The circumstances of use as reported by participants included acute stress related to combat, conflict with hierarchy or comrades, and suicidal crisis. Among those who used PFATO, the training helped 87.5% of them to identify signs of psychological distress and 100% of them to assist combatants . All respondents stressed the added value of practical simulations during PFATO education. Moreover, this study also makes it possible to identify adaptations needed to optimize this module for healthcare providers. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the value for healthcare provider of training in first-response psychological care using relational simulation based on the model of raising awareness about PFATO.

Evaluation of the Continuing Education Training "Beratende für Digitale Gesundheitsversorgung" ("Consultant for Digital Healthcare"): Protocol for an Effectiveness Study.

BACKGROUND: The digital transformation in health care requires training nursing and health professionals in the digitally competent use of digital assistive technologies (DAT). The continuing education training "Beratende für digitale Gesundheitsversorgung" ("Consultant for Digital Healthcare") was developed to fill this gap. The effectiveness of the training program will be assessed in this study. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective is to record and measure the participants' learning success. We will assess whether the previously defined teaching intentions, learning objectives, competencies, and participants' expectations have been achieved and whether a transfer of learning occurred. The secondary objective is participant satisfaction and feasibility of the training. The tertiary objective is the successful transfer of DAT by participants in their institutions. METHODS: Approximately 65 nursing and health care professionals will participate in the pilot phase of the further training and evaluation process, which is planned in a mixed methods design in a nonsequential manner. The different methods will be combined in the interpretation of the results to achieve a synaptic view of the training program. We plan to conduct pre-post surveys in the form of participant self-assessments about dealing with DAT and content-related knowledge levels. Exploratory individual interviews will also be conducted to build theory, to examine whether and to what extent competence (cognition) has increased, and whether dealing (affect) with DAT has changed. Furthermore, an interim evaluation within the framework of the Teaching Analysis Poll (TAP) will occur. The knowledge thereby gained will be used to revise and adapt the modules for future courses. To assess the transfer success, the participants create a practical project, which is carried out within the training framework, observed by the lecturers, and subsequently evaluated and adapted. RESULTS: We expect that the learning objectives for the continuing education training will be met. The attendees are expected to increase their level of digital competence in different skills areas: (1) theoretical knowledge, (2) hands-on skills for planning the application and practical use of DAT, (3) reflective skills and applying ethical and legal considerations in their use, (4) applying all that in a structured process of technology implementation within their practical sphere of work. CONCLUSIONS: The aim of this study and appropriate further training program are to educate nursing and health care professionals in the use of DAT, thereby empowering them for a structured change process toward digitally aided care. This focus gives rise to the following research questions: First, how should further training programs be developed, and which focus is appropriate for addressee-appropriate learning goals, course structure, and general curriculum? Second, how should a training program with this specific content and area be evaluated? Third, what are the conditions to offer a continued program? INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/57860.

Evaluation of case based simulation teaching to improve the Family Medicine residents urgent care management skills at a teaching hospital.

Context: Simulation based teaching is effective strategy to allow trainees to acquire skills, develop clinical judgment and to become competent in order to manage the patients in a safe environment. The Case-based simulation improves the assessment and management skills of the trainees to prepare them as a competent physician. Aim: Evaluation of case based simulation teaching to improve the Family Medicine residents urgent care management skills at a teaching hospital. Setting and Design: An Interventional study (Pre and post design) was conducted on the residents of the Family Medicine department of the Aga Khan University hospital Karachi. Methodology: After getting their consent, pre intervention Objectively structured clinical examination (OSCE) was conducted at the Center for Innovation in medical education, AKUH. The scenarios were based on urgent care problems presenting in the Family Medicine setting. It was followed by the case based simulation teaching intervention by the facilitators and debriefing. The post intervention OSCE was conducted in order to assess the resident's performance. Statistical Analysis: The data was analyzed in Stata version15 software in two stages; descriptive and inferential. In descriptive analysis frequency and proportion were calculated for categorical variables. Median and inter quartile range were reported for continuous variable. Paired T-tests were applied to compare the pre and post test results. Results: The resident's scores significantly improved after case based simulation in majority of the post intervention OSCE stations proving the effectiveness of the intervention. Conclusion: Case based simulation is an effective teaching strategy for the learning process of the Family Medicine residents regarding the urgent care management skills. It is advised to use this strategy in the teaching and learning process of other Family medicine residency programs.

East meets west: integrating Yin-Yang theory with immunology teaching.

This perspective article delves into a novel integration of Yin-Yang theory-an ancient Chinese philosophical cornerstone-with the sophisticated realm of immunology. Given the intricate concepts inherent in immunology, many students find it challenging to comprehend the delicate mechanisms governing immune equilibrium and regulation. Given the deep-rooted understanding of Yin-Yang theory among Chinese students, we advocate for an educational strategy that contextualizes the concept of immune equilibrium within the framework of Yin-Yang, thereby offering a more intuitive and engaging learning experience. This method not only capitalizes on the cultural significance of Yin-Yang, but also corresponds to its principles of equilibrium and harmony, thus mirroring the homeostatic essence of immune responses. This article critically assesses this technique's capacity to bolster immune comprehension amongst Chinese students, while also considering its limitations. Despite these limitations, the fusion of these seemingly divergent fields holds substantial promise for augmenting immunology education, promoting critical thinking, and advancing cross-cultural academic discourse. The amalgamation of age-old philosophical insights with modern scientific exploration prompts a reassessment of educational methodologies within immunology, underscoring a novel pedagogical approach that bridges traditional wisdom with contemporary scientific education.

Blended learning: Exploring nurse educators' perspectives.

Background: In a rapidly evolving educational landscape, blended learning is becoming an increasingly popular transition from traditional forms of learning and teaching to e-learning. It is therefore important that lecturers adapt their practice and transform their teaching in line with the online platform in use, as this has the potential to benefit students, lecturers and the institution alike. However, little research exists regarding the perspectives of nurse educators on the use of blended learning as a teaching method. Aim: The study aimed to explore and describe the perspectives of nurse educators on the use of blended learning as a teaching method at the Faculty of Health Sciences at a university in Namibia. Setting: The study was conducted at a public nurse education institution in Namibia. Methods: A qualitative exploratory, descriptive design that was contextual was applied to collect data from a convenient sample of 15 lecturers using semi-structured interviews. Results: Four themes emerged in this study, namely, understanding of blended learning, benefits of utilising blended learning, challenges of utilising blended learning, and recommendations to ensure effective use of blended learning. Conclusion: The study findings identified potential areas of both strengths and shortcomings in nurse educators' use of blended learning as a teaching and learning strategy. Contribution: These findings may be used to develop ongoing strategies and targeted interventions that can strengthen nurse educators' abilities to design learning environments that are conducive to blended learning.

Ultrasound technology as a tool to teach basic concepts of physiology and anatomy in undergraduate and graduate courses: a systematic review.

Many publications describe use of ultrasound imaging in teaching on clinical courses, primarily integrated with clinical applications. More recently there has been increasing numbers of papers describing ultrasound as a tool primarily for teaching basic anatomy and physiology concepts, rather than clinical applications. Of these, many described qualitative analysis with a consensus that its use was viewed very positively by students for aiding learning. Far fewer studies have attempted quantitative analysis to support this belief, and conclusions have been varied. A review of studies was conducted which included those that used ultrasound to teach physiology and anatomy concepts. Studies were excluded if they did not contain quantitative or qualitative assessment of efficacy. Medline and Embase databases were searched (16/11/22) and screened by two independent reviewers. Forty-six studies were included, with data extracted relating to cohort characteristics, ultrasound intervention, quantitative or qualitative assessments and any barriers to implementation. It was confirmed that both student and teacher opinions are extremely favourable in most cases. Although conclusions from quantitative studies were not as clear, there was evidence that ultrasound is at least as effective as more conventional teaching methods and could have significantly better performances in short-term assessments. However, varied methods of teaching intervention, experimental protocols and assessment of learning may have contributed to the lack of clarity. Within this context, some of the problems encountered with implementing ultrasound as an educational tool (such as financial and temporal constraints), and in conducting more definitive studies, are discussed.

Preparing nursing students to communicate with mental health patients: A scoping review.

AIM/OBJECTIVE: This review aims to examine and synthesize the existing literature on various teaching strategies for preparing nursing students to initiate conversations with patients with mental health concerns. BACKGROUND: The increase in adults experiencing mental illnesses each year in the United States emphasizes the need for proficient communication between healthcare workers and patients with mental health concerns. Nursing students have reported feeling anxious and uncomfortable initiating difficult conversations with patients who have mental illnesses or concerns thus, effective teaching strategies are essential to enhance their communication skills, confidence, and interactions. This scoping review aims to identify and evaluate educational interventions that can better prepare nursing students for these critical conversations. DESIGN: This scoping review follows PRISMA guidelines and the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. METHOD: Scopus, Academic Search Elite, and CINAHL identified 96 potentially relevant articles published between 2013 and 2023. A total of 11 articles met the criteria for inclusion in this review. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: (1) peer learning, (2) blended learning, and (3) simulation learning. The findings of these articles indicate that simulation is the most widely used teaching strategy for preparing nursing students for mental health nursing. CONCLUSION: This review revealed important insight into how implementing various teaching strategies can affect nursing students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes when communicating with a patient with mental health concerns. Gaps in literature were identified for future research.

Usability, Ergonomics, and Educational Value of a Novel Telestration Tool for Surgical Coaching: Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: Telementoring studies found technical challenges in achieving accurate and stable annotations during live surgery using commercially available telestration software intraoperatively. To address the gap, a wireless handheld telestration device was developed to facilitate dynamic user interaction with live video streams. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to find the perceived usability, ergonomics, and educational value of a first-generation handheld wireless telestration platform. METHODS: A prototype was developed with four core hand-held functions: (1) free-hand annotation, (2) cursor navigation, (3) overlay and manipulation (rotation) of ghost (avatar) instrumentation, and (4) hand-held video feed navigation on a remote monitor. This device uses a proprietary augmented reality platform. Surgeons and trainees were invited to test the core functions of the platform by performing standardized tasks. Usability and ergonomics were evaluated with a validated system usability scale and a 5-point Likert scale survey, which also evaluated the perceived educational value of the device. RESULTS: In total, 10 people (9 surgeons and 1 senior resident; 5 male and 5 female) participated. Participants strongly agreed or agreed (SA/A) that it was easy to perform annotations (SA/A 9, 90% and neutral 0, 0%), video feed navigation (SA/A 8, 80% and neutral 1, 10%), and manipulation of ghost (avatar) instruments on the monitor (SA/A 6, 60% and neutral 3, 30%). Regarding ergonomics, 40% (4) of participants agreed or strongly agreed (neutral 4, 40%) that the device was physically comfortable to use and hold. These results are consistent with open-ended comments on the device's size and weight. The average system usability scale was 70 (SD 12.5; median 75, IQR 63-84) indicating an above average usability score. Participants responded favorably to the device's perceived educational value, particularly for postoperative coaching (agree 6, 60%, strongly agree 4, 40%). CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the preliminary usability results of a novel first-generation telestration tool customized for use in surgical coaching. Favorable usability and perceived educational value were reported. Future iterations of the device should focus on incorporating user feedback and additional studies should be conducted to evaluate its effectiveness for improving surgical education. Ultimately, such tools can be incorporated into pedagogical models of surgical coaching to optimize feedback and training.

Hope, passion and perseverance: experiences of internationally educated nurses pursuing nursing authorisation in Norway-a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The global nursing shortage is driving nursing professionals to migrate from their home countries to other regions of the world, leading to increased diversity in healthcare settings and nursing education across Europe. Although research on the experiences of internationally educated nurses has gained more attention in Norway, a substantial gap remains in understanding the challenges these nurses face when participating in bridging programs and seeking authorisation as registered nurses in the host country. METHODS: The aim of the present study is to gain knowledge about the experiences of students in a digitised bridging program for nurses, related to being a nurse educated outside the European Union and a student with a Norwegian as a second language and migrant/refugee background. Oslo Metropolitan University initiated a decentralised education programme in 2021, offering a bridging programme for individuals with a nursing education from countries outside the European Union. This programme was conducted in a decentralised, gathering-based, and predominantly digitised format. The study has a qualitative descriptive design and includes a purposive sample of eight former nursing students enrolled in the programme. Data were collected through individual semistructured interviews conducted between November and December 2023. The data were analysed by employing thematic analysis. The study is reported in accordance with the COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ). RESULTS: Analyses revealed a main theme-the participants' ability to persist in their goal over the long term, maintaining their interest, overcoming challenges, working hard and finishing tasks rather than giving up. This theme is supported by three themes: (i) 'Navigating bureaucratic challenges - The struggle with authorisation and overwhelming requirements, (ii) 'An emotional journey - The ups and downs of participating in the program', and (iii) 'Achieving recognition - The journey to authorisation and professional confidence'. CONCLUSIONS: The study underscores the numerous challenges encountered by internationally educated nurses seeking registered nurse' recognition in Norway. Despite these challenges, the participants displayed remarkable hope, passion and perseverance, remaining committed to their goal of becoming registered nurses in Norway.

Interdisciplinary teaching squares enhance reflection and collegiality: A collaborative pedagogical approach.

AIM: To explore the experiences of interdisciplinary Higher Educational Academics within Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy and Biomedical Science in the use of teaching squares as a formative, collaborative pedagogical tool to promote reflection. BACKGROUND: One approach to enhancing academic teaching practice involves the provision of feedback to individual academics. This approach can be challenging for the reviewer, hence other less intimidating approaches are popular. One such approach is the teaching square. In this approach typically 4 other teaching staff are involved in observing their peers' teaching methods (synchronous or asynchronous) and then engaging in a cycle of personal reflection. Reflection on teaching practices of their peers can provide opportunity to improve their own teaching. Typically teaching squares involve participants from the same academic discipline, however, in this study participants from related yet different disciplines were purposely connected and the benefits of this approach assessed. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore the participants' experiences of undertaking interdisciplinary teaching squares through online questionnaires and focus group feedback opportunities. METHODS: This study was undertaken between August 2022 to June 2023 at an Australian university. Sixteen academic staff members from Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical science and Biological science expressed an interest in the project. Five participants elected not to continue citing time pressures and 11 staff members participated in the project. Participation involved completing the teaching square experience and a subsequent focus group that were held to explore their experiences of undertaking a teaching square. The demographic survey data were presented and the focus group interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. RESULTS: Triangulation of the findings resulted in the identification of four main themes: Teaching squares for professional networks; Perceptions of Safety; Stepping in and out of a reflective cycle; and Time Constraints vs. Time Value. CONCLUSIONS: The study aimed to explore the effectiveness of teaching squares in encouraging academic reflection on teaching and fostering a collaborative teaching culture within interdisciplinary higher education academics. An unexpected finding was the value and promotion of interdisciplinarity professional relationships and networks. The findings from this research project offer valuable insights into the benefits of adopting teaching squares in health education and contributes to evidence-based pedagogical practices.

Establishing Microsurgery Skills Laboratories in Low- and Middle-income Countries with Integrated Remote Teaching: A Novel Approach.

Microneurosurgical techniques remain crucial for managing neurosurgical diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where other advanced treatment modalities are not available. The global distribution of these techniques is uneven due to disparities in infrastructure, equipment, and training. Medical professionals from LMICs face barriers in reaching training centers in high-income countries, as well as in accessing microsurgical techniques. To address these disparities in microsurgery training, we offer free and accessible microsurgery training model by combining the donations of microsurgery kits with a comprehensive support system that includes live-streamed, offline, and in-person assistance within LMICs.

Continuing Education for Global Neurosurgery Graduates: Visiting Surgeons, Skills Teaching, Bootcamps, and Twinning Programs.

Neurosurgeons require post-graduate training to deliver safe, effective, and evidence-based care; to continually improve and adapt their methods through assessing the effect of their care and patient outcomes; and to train the future neurosurgeons of tomorrow to surpass current standards of care. We describe methods used by global collaborations to address these training needs on a worldwide scale, their risks, and their perceived benefits.

Transforming Ethics Education Through a Faculty Learning Community: "I'm Coming Around to Seeing Ethics as Being Maybe as Important as Calculus".

Ethics is central to scientific and engineering research and practice, but a key challenge for promoting students' ethical formation involves enhancing faculty members' ability and confidence in embedding positive ethical learning experiences into their curriculums. To this end, this paper explores changes in faculty members' approaches to and perceptions of ethics education following their participation in a multi-year interdisciplinary faculty learning community (FLC). We conducted and thematically analyzed semi-structured interviews with 11 participants following the second year of the FLC. Qualitative themes suggested that, following two years of FLC participation, faculty members (1) were better able to articulate their conceptualizations of ethics; (2) became cognizant of how personal experiences, views, and beliefs informed how they introduced ethics into their curriculum; and (3) developed and lived instructional principles that guided their ethics teaching. Results thus suggested that faculty members benefitted from exploring, discussing, and teaching ethics, which (in turn) enabled them to see new opportunities and become confident in integrating ethics into their courses in meaningful ways that aligned with their scholarly identities. Taken together, these data suggest faculty became agents of change for designing, implementing, and refining ethics-related instructional efforts in STEM. This work can guide others interested in designing faculty learning communities to promote instructional skill development, faculty members' awareness of their ethical values, and their ability and agency to design and integrate ethics learning activities alongside departmental peers in an intentional and continuous manner.

The effects of a blended learning model on the physical fitness of Chinese university students: a cluster randomized controlled trial in basketball education.

OBJECTIVE: The university period is a critical stage of personal development, and improving the physical fitness of university students is crucial to their academic performance, quality of life, and future. However, in recent years, the physical fitness level of Chinese university students has shown a decreasing trend. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a blended learning model on the physical fitness of Chinese university students through a 16-week intervention. METHODS: A total of 78 first-year students from a public university in Henan Province were recruited for this study via a cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT) design. The participants were divided into an experimental group (blended learning) and a control group (traditional learning). The intervention lasted for 16 weeks, and physical fitness indices such as body mass index (BMI), lung capacity, sit and reach, pull-ups/sit-ups, standing long jumps, 50-meter runs, and 1000/800-meter runs were measured before and after the intervention. Statistical analyses were conducted via generalized estimating equation (GEE) modeling, with the significance level set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Both learning models significantly improved students' physical fitness after 16 weeks. However, the blended learning model resulted in more significant improvements in lung capacity, sit and reach, pull-ups/sit-ups, standing long jumps, and 50-meter runs (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of BMI or 1000/800-meter run. CONCLUSIONS: The 16-week blended learning model effectively promoted physical fitness among university students, especially in terms of their lung capacity, flexibility, strength and speed.

Immersive medical training: a comprehensive longitudinal study of extended reality in emergency scenarios for large student groups.

Young healthcare professionals and medical graduates often fall short in the practical experience necessary for handling medical emergencies. This can not only lead to strained feelings of inadequacy and insecurity among future physicians and less experienced healthcare providers in general, but also to detrimental outcomes for patients as emergency medicine demands rapid decision-making with low tolerance for errors. New didactic modalities and approaches may be needed to effectively address this shortcoming. Immersive technologies are powerful novel educational tools with untapped potential in medical training, and may be particularly suitable for simulation trainings in the high-stakes field of emergency medicine.Herein, we systematically explored the educational potential of extended reality (XR) technology, particularly virtual reality (VR), in the management of patients presenting as medical emergencies, combining the use of the STEP-VR application with an untethered hardware setup.Importantly, we aimed at studying multiple, large cohorts of senior medical students involving a total of 529 participants and collecting data over a period of two years. We assessed students' acceptance of the training through a modified questionnaire measuring device handling, content complexity, degree of immersion, learning success, and seminar design.Our results show high, sustained acceptance and ease of use across different student cohorts and subgroups, with most students finding XR/VR engaging and beneficial for acquiring emergency medicine skills. Importantly, the prevalence of simulation sickness was minimal. Moreover, no major effect of the head-mounted displays (HMDs) price range was noted with regard to the learning experience. The results underscore the potential of XR/VR capabilities in effectively enhancing medical education, particularly in areas of high-stakes clinical scenarios and emergency care, by providing realistic and reproducible immersive training environments.In summary, our findings suggest that XR/VR-based training approaches could significantly contribute to preparing future physicians for the complexities of emergency medical care, encouraging the integration of such technologies into medical curricula. However, careful consideration must be given to its suitability for all students and the practical challenges of its implementation, highlighting the need for further research to harness its full potential for medical education.

Making clinical teaching visible-A time and motion study of hospital rounds in undergraduate medical teaching.

Background: Teaching medical students in the clinical setting is frequently perceived as a demanding commitment by attending physicians. There is a paucity of data measuring the duration and efficacy of teaching during clinical rounds. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess both the quantity and quality of clinical teaching time dedicated to medical students on hospital ward rounds. Methods: A cross-sectional direct structured observational study was conducted during the morning rounds of attending physicians involved in teaching undergraduate medical students at three different clinical facilities in three different specialties. A validated observational tool was used by four observers to record teaching time and quality indicators. Results: In terms of teaching duration, it was observed that 25% of the total morning round time was allocated to teaching. However, this measure varied widely between different physicians and specialties. As for teaching quality, actions categorized as active teaching by the teachers were observed in 19% of the interactions observed per round, while active learning by the students was observed in 17% of the interactions per round. Teacher high-cognition interactions were similarly observed in 23% of actions per round, while student high-cognition interactions occurred in 16% of actions per round. Internal Medicine tended to score higher than both Pediatrics and Surgery in terms of percentage teaching time as well as percentage of active teaching observed per round. Using liberal criteria, rounds characterized overall as predominantly active or high-cognition by both teachers and students were observed in only 21% of the total number of rounds observed. Conclusion: These results indicate that the percentage of teaching time during ward rounds is highly variable, and that round teaching generally consists of passive and low-cognition interactions. Future work is needed to train clinical faculty to achieve a desired level of teaching quality, and to determine if there are any changes in teaching time commitments and student outcomes.

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.