The integration of brain dissection within the medical neuroscience laboratory enhances learning.
The purpose of this study was to design a one-hour brain dissection protocol for a medical neuroscience course and evaluate the short and long-term effects of its implementation on medical students. First-year medical students (n = 166) participated in a brain dissection activity that included dissection of the basal nuclei and associated deep brain structures. Short-term retention was assessed by administering identical pre- and post-activity tests involving identification of brain structures. Following the brain dissection, the students' posttest scores were significantly higher (68.8% ± 17.8%; mean percent score ± SD) than their pretest scores (35.8% ± 20.0%) (P ≤ 0.0001). Long-term retention was evaluated by conducting an identical assessment five months after completion of the course. Students who participated in the dissection activity (n = 80) had significantly higher scores (46.6% ± 23.8%) than the students who did not participate in the dissection activity (n = 85) (38.1% ± 23.9%) (P ≤ 0.05). In addition to the long-term retention assessment, the NBME®Subject Examination scores of students who participated in the dissection activity were significantly higher than the students who did not participate in the dissection activity (P ≤ 0.01). Results suggest that this succinct brain dissection activity may be a practical addition to an undergraduate medical neuroscience course for increasing the effectiveness of neuroanatomy training. This effect may have long-term benefits on knowledge retention and may be correlated with higher performance levels on standardized subject examinations. Anat Sci Educ 9: 565-574. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana. grae@lsuhsc.edu.
Guenevere
G
Rae
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.
R John
RJ
Cork
School of Foundations, Leadership, and Administration, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio.
Aryn C
AC
Karpinski
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.
William J
WJ
Swartz
D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D032882:Comprehension; D003479:Curriculum; D004210:Dissection / Q000193:education*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D057567:Memory, Long-Term; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D013997:Time Factors
brain dissection; gross anatomy education; medical education; medical neuroscience; neuroanatomy education; neuroscience education