title: Students' memorization of anatomy, influence of drawing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anatomy is the cornerstone of medical education. Different teaching methods can be combined. This study was designed to evaluate the influence of students' drawing of the anatomical region before and after the dissection session on their memorization of the studied anatomical region.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and sixteen second-year medical students in the faculty of medicine of Damascus were included in this study during the 2013-2014 academic year. Students were randomly divided into three blinded groups. Two groups had to draw the anatomical region respectively before and after the dissection session, while the third group did not have to draw. The memorization of the region was evaluated twice, one and seven weeks after the course. Means were compared using a t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scores were significantly higher at 1 and 7 weeks tests in groups who were asked to draw either before or after the dissection compared to those who were not asked to draw. No statistical difference was found between the two groups who drew.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors recommend the use of drawing in teaching anatomy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Damascus, Fayez Mansour Street, Damascus, Syria. Electronic address: drbayan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alsaid
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anatomy and Learning through Simulation, Nîmes Faculty of Medicine, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertrand
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D004210:Dissection; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D013337:Students, Medical; D013593:Syria; D013663:Teaching
keywords: Dessins anatomiques; Drawing anatomy; Memorisation; Mémorisation; Méthode d’enseignement; Teaching methods