The place of anatomy in medical education: AMEE Guide no 41

Abstract

This Guide, a combined work by three authors from different countries, provides perspectives into the history of teaching gross anatomy, briefly, from the earliest of times, through to a detailed examination of curricula in both traditional didactic approaches and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curricula. The delivery of a module within a curriculum in tertiary education is interplay between the content (knowledge and skills) of a subject, the teaching staff involved, the students and their approaches to learning, and the philosophy underpinning the delivery of the learning material. The work is divided into sections that deal with approaches to learning anatomy from the perspective of students, to delivery of the content of the curriculum by lecturers, including the assessment of knowledge, and itemises the topics that could be considered important for an appropriate anatomy module in an integrated course, delivered in a way that emphasises clinical application. The work concludes by looking to the future, and considering what measures may need to be addressed to ensure the continued development of anatomy as a clinically relevant subject in any medical curriculum.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Graham Louw

GRAHAM LOUW, BVSc, DVSc originally qualified as a veterinarian at the University of Pretoria. After a period of time in private practice and performing compulsory military service, he returned to the University of Pretoria to teach in the Department of Anatomy, during which time he gained his doctoral degree in developmental neuroanatomy. Thereafter, he commenced his work in the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Cape Town, becoming involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in anatomy, embryology, the neurosciences, physical anthropology and comparative anatomy. He has been one of the key personnel involved in the restructuring of the undergraduate Medical degree into a PBL 6-year curriculum. He has been the recipient of the University's Distinguished Teacher's Award.

Norman Eizenberg

NORMAN EIZENBERG, MBBS is in the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Monash University as well as the Department of Surgery, Monash Medical Centre. He has coordinated teaching of anatomy, including to surgical trainees, for more than 25 years. Norman is currently an examiner of anatomy for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Radiology. His major areas of research and scholarship are in medical education (including student learning of anatomy) and in anatomical variations (including their surgical implications). Norman is also a general medical practitioner and the project leader of ANATOMEDIA (www.anatomedia.com). He is the recipient of a Universitas 21 Teaching Fellowship (for ‘excellence in teaching and educational innovation’) and of a ‘Meritorious Service Award’ from the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.

Stephen W. Carmichael

STEPHEN CARMICHAEL, BSc (Hons), PhD, DSc graduated from Kenyon College (Ohio, USA) with Honours in Biology. He earned his PhD in Anatomy from Tulane University (New Orleans) and joined the faculty of West Virginia University School of Medicine. In 1982 he was appointed to the staff of the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota, USA) in the Department of Anatomy. He was made Professor of Anatomy and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, a post he held for 14 years. He is past-president of the Histochemical Society and the Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Neurobiology Chairpersons. He has been the Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Anatomy since 2000. He retired from the staff of Mayo Clinic in 2007, but remains active in the American Association of Clinical Anatomists, the American Association of Anatomy, the Anatomical Society of Southern Africa and many other professional associations.