Anatomy Dissection Guide—a Comparative Study of Formats

Anatomical dissection remains an important curricular feature, but with decreasing laboratory hours, effective and efficient teaching modalities must be used. The purpose of this study is to compare dissection guide formats: one in prose and one in a more streamlined bulleted format. The streamlined guide was created in accordance with modern teaching tenets, presenting concise directions with few anatomical descriptions. First-year (M1) and second-year (M2) medical students participated in this study (n = 167 and n = 164, respectively). Dissection guide formats were randomly assigned to groups. This arrangement continued for an entire series of dissections in one anatomical region. A cross-over study was done for the M1s in the subsequent series of dissections. At the end of each series of dissections, a survey to evaluate the guides was distributed. Completion times were recorded at the end of each dissection, and performance was evaluated using exams. The results demonstrated significantly greater preference for the abridged guide in terms of detail level, efficacy, and engagement (p < 0.05). Students using the abridged guide expressed more positive responses to survey items regarding dissection in general (p < 0.05). The results also indicated less need for assistance from instructors when using the abridged dissection guide (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences found between groups in terms of completion times and exam results. The application of modern teaching approaches to an anatomy dissection guide was shown to enhance student experience. The use of these principles is recommended for a more positive and efficacious learning experience. © 2015, International Association of Medical Science Educators.