title: The Value of Clinical Practice in Cadaveric Dissection: Lessons Learned From a Course in Eye and Orbital Anatomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that there is greater benefit in a dissection-based anatomy course among those participants with clinical experience in the relevant field, and those without.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brighton and Sussex Medical School Anatomy Department: an educational facility that provides undergraduate and postgraduate anatomy teaching using cadaveric specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  All attendees (n = 40) to a postgraduate course in eye and orbital anatomy completed course evaluation forms. The course has been attended by delegates from around the country, with experience ranging from that of final year medical students to clinical fellows who have completed their specialist training in ophthalmology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those participants who were practicing ophthalmology tended to be older than those who were not, with a greater amount of time spent on prior learning. Participants scored both the prosection-led and dissection-led sessions highly, with a mean combined evaluation of 8.9 (out of 10) for dissection-led learning and 9.2 for prosection-led learning. Prosection-led learning was regarded equally by those participants currently practicing in ophthalmology, and those who are not. In contrast, dissection-led learning was scored higher by those participants who were practicing ophthalmology (9.4), when compared with those not in ophthalmic practice (8.5; p = 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study supports the hypothesis that the benefits of cadaveric dissection could be maximized during postgraduate surgical training. This has important implications given the trend away from cadaveric dissection in the undergraduate curriculum.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, United Kingdom; Eye Unit, Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury, United Kingdom. Electronic address: chrisschulz@doctors.org.uk.
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Schulz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection / Q000379:methods; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education*; D009915:Orbit / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Improvement; Medical Knowledge; Practice-Based Learning; anatomy; dissection; education; ophthalmology; postgraduate; surgery