Development, implementation, and perceptions of a 3D-printed human skull in a large dental gross anatomy course.

Skull anatomy is a difficult region for anatomy students to learn and understand but is necessary for a variety of health professional students. To improve learning, a 3D-printed human skull was developed, produced, and distributed to a course of 83 dental students for use as a take-home study tool over the 10-week anatomy course. The 70% scale human skull derived from CT data had a fully articulating mandible, simulated temporomandibular joint, and accurate cranial structures. At the course end, students completed a perception survey and responses were compared with those who made a grade of A, B, or C in the course. Students overall reported using the model less than 3 h per week, but those who scored an A in the course reported using the model more frequently than those who scored a B or C. Free responses revealed that students used the model in a variety of ways, but found that the model was quick and easily accessible to check understanding while studying at home in the absence of direct observation by faculty. Overall, this study provides evidence on the feasibility of large-scale 3D printing and the benefits of the use of a 3D-printed model as a take-home study aid.

Radiology for anatomy educators: Success of an online, 2-day course for radiology training.

Incorporation of radiology training into anatomy education from community college to health professional schools is becoming increasingly popular. However, anatomy educators generally lack training in common radiology modalities, including X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound. Professional development or continuing education courses provide current and new educators the chance to gain new skills within a short timeframe. Here, a 2-day, online course for anatomy educators was created. The goals of which were for the participants: to gain basic knowledge of different radiology modalities, recognize normal radiographic images, and apply that information to common diseases or injuries in interactive case studies. Each day focused on different modalities, where Day 1 studied X-ray, CT, and MRI; and Day 2 studied Ultrasound. A 10-question pre- and post-test was taken by attendees for each day of instruction on a voluntary basis. Following the completion of the course, attendees were provided a survey to determine their perceptions on course content and knowledge acquired. Most attendees instructed undergraduates at 4-year universities, though several attendees came from community colleges and high schools. All attendees showed a significant improvement in knowledge from their pre- to post-test scores in X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound following training. This was also reflected in their survey responses, where attendees felt the course was effective in increasing their knowledge and confidence in radiology. Overall, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of online continuing education courses and the need for more introductory radiology courses for anatomy educators.

What Does a Modern Anatomist Look like? Current Trends in the Training of Anatomy Educators.

Anatomical sciences are foundational to the health professions, yet little is known about the qualifications of anatomy educators at the graduate and professional level in the United States. Moreover, there is concern that the number of qualified anatomy educators being trained may be insufficient to meet the growing demand posed by new and expanded programs in medicine and allied health specialties. The authors surveyed anatomists from across the country to (i) characterize the educational credentials of current anatomy educators and (ii) assess the perceived need for education-focused postdoctoral positions or formal mentorships to prepare anatomists for teaching-intensive faculty positions. To probe the survey responses more deeply, one-on-one interviews were conducted with eight individuals selected to represent a diverse sample of respondents in terms of institution, gender, and academic rank. Results indicate that 30-40% of educators at the graduate level and approximately 60% of those at the undergraduate level lack graduate coursework in histology, embryology, and neuroanatomy. Forty-five percent of respondents had completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Eighty-six percent replied "yes/maybe" to the question of whether an anatomy education postdoctoral fellowship would benefit doctoral graduates. The top 3 reasons for this recommendation were to (i) establish independent educational research, (ii) improve a publication record, and (iii) gain additional teaching experience. Notable weaknesses of education-focused postdoctoral training were related to finances, fear of exploitation, and undervaluing of teaching. Moving forward, postdoctoral fellowships and other forms of postgraduate training may represent a key strategy for training anatomists in the current educational climate. Anat Sci Educ 00: 000-000. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

Is the supply of continuing education in the anatomical sciences keeping up with the demand? Results of a national survey.

Continuing education (CE) is an essential element in the life-long learning of health care providers and educators. Despite the importance of the anatomical sciences in the training and practice of clinicians, no studies have examined the need/state of anatomy-related CE nationally. This study assessed the current landscape of CE in the anatomical sciences to contextualize preferences for CE, identify factors that influence the perceived need for CE, and examine the association between supply and demand. Surveys were distributed to educators in the anatomical sciences, practicing physical therapists (PTs), and anatomy training programs across the United States. Twenty-five percent (9 of 36) of training programs surveyed offered CE, certificates, or summer series programs related to anatomy. The majority of PTs (92%) and anatomy educators (81%) felt they had a potential or actual need for anatomy related CE with the most popular formats being online videos/learning modules and intensive, hands-on workshops. The most commonly perceived barriers to participating in CE for both groups were program location, cost, and duration, while educators also perceived time of year as a significant factor. Logistic regression analyses revealed that no investigated factor influenced the need or desire for PTs to engage in anatomy related CE (P ≤ 0.124), while teaching experience and the highest level of learner taught significantly influenced the perceived need among anatomy educators (P < 0.001). Overall, quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed a robust need for CE that strategically integrates anatomy with areas of clinical practice and education. Anat Sci Educ 11: 225-235. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Study skills in anatomy and physiology: Is there a difference?

Many factors influence the way individual students study, including but not limited to: previous coursework, attitudes toward the class (motivation, intimidation, risk, etc.), metacognition, and work schedules. However, little of this research has involved medical students. The present article asks the question, "Do individual medical students study differently for different classes?" Study skills surveys were given to United States medical students at an allopathic medical school and an osteopathic medical school. Students were surveyed near the end of their first year gross anatomy course and again near the end of their first year physiology course. Survey items included Likert scale and open-ended questions about study habits and basic demographic information. The survey responses were correlated with each student's final grade percentages in the courses. Analysis revealed that the four most common study habits were reviewing lecture notes, taking practice examinations, completing learning exercises, and making drawings and diagrams. The two surveys (anatomy and physiology) from each individual were also compared to see if students reported different study habits in anatomy versus physiology. A negative correlation was found between changing study habits between courses and final anatomy grade percentages. Additional analyses suggest that those students who do change their study habits between courses are increasing the number of study strategies that they attempt. This increase in the number of study strategies attempted may not allow the student to reach the same depth of understanding as their colleagues who utilize fewer strategies.