title: Outcomes of the gross and developmental anatomy teaching assistant experience.
abstract: During the first-year Gross and Developmental Anatomy Course at Mayo Medical School, third-year medical students volunteer as teaching assistants (TAs). Their responsibilities include preparing for dissection, instructing students during dissection, writing examination questions, and giving a lecture. To evaluate the academic and professional impact of this experience on former TAs, a survey instrument was developed, and was sent to former TAs from the past 17 years. Seventy-two percent of the surveys were returned. Most respondents (84%) indicated that the TA experience was beneficial during their third-year surgical rotation. Over 60% identified benefits during Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Internal Medicine rotations. The majority (62%) indicated they regularly use the knowledge gained from the TA experience. Communication was the most highly ranked area of skill development, with 86% of respondents indicating gains in lecture effectiveness and 97% in one-on-one teaching. Among respondents, 32% entered surgical or radiological fields, roughly paralleling the non-TA medical student population. All respondents indicated that they would repeat the experience and recommend it to other medical students. Although benefits for long-term career development have not yet been established, the Gross and Developmental Anatomy TA experience had perceived short-term benefits with respect to clinical rotations and teaching skill development.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ocel
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wittich
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Carmichael
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pawlina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D010379:Peer Group; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D000078329:Workforce