title: Relevance and attitudes toward histology and embryology course through the eyes of freshmen and senior medical students: Experience from Serbia.
abstract: Histology and embryology are prerequisite for understanding the complexity of cell and tissue organization, function and development. The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of medical students toward relevance of histology and embryology in their pre-clinical and clinical medical practice. The study sample consisted of 900 undergraduate students of 1st and 6th study year at the School of Medicine in Belgrade, Serbia. Data were collected using an anonymous questionnaire. Senior students reported the relevance of histology and embryology knowledge for learning pathology, dermatology, physiology, gynecology and obstetrics, pathophysiology and pediatrics. Examination of students' attitudes revealed that 1st year participants more often acknowledged histology and embryology as being of great importance for their professional career. Analysis according to gender indicated that female students consider embryology as of greater importance for further medical education and future clinical practice than male students. Overall, study results suggest that medical students have a positive attitude toward histology and embryology undergraduate course. This evidence could be used as an additional motive for the development of histology and embryology courses, with special emphasis on practical application of knowledge in clinically-oriented setting.
authors: Institute of Histology and Embryology "Aleksandar Đ. Kostić", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Zaletel
authors: Institute of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Gorica
authors: G
authors: Marić
authors: Institute of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Tatjana
authors: T
authors: Gazibara
authors: Institute of Histology and Embryology "Aleksandar Đ. Kostić", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Jelena
authors: J
authors: Rakočević
authors: Institute of Histology and Embryology "Aleksandar Đ. Kostić", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Milica
authors: M
authors: Labudović Borović
authors: Institute of Histology and Embryology "Aleksandar Đ. Kostić", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: nela@dr.com.
authors: Nela
authors: N
authors: Puškaš
authors: Institute of Histology and Embryology "Aleksandar Đ. Kostić", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: milosb@med.bg.ac.rs.
authors: Miloš
authors: M
authors: Bajčetić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003479:Curriculum; D004626:Embryology / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006653:Histology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055771:Serbia; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Curriculum; Education; Knowledge; Online learning; Undergraduate