Comparing Medical Students' Perspectives on Anatomy Education Before Entering the Hospital and During Clinical Internships.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of anatomy education, which is one of the most important branches of the basic sciences in medicine. To compare the opinions of clinical and preclinical medical students on anatomy education, open-ended and closed-ended survey questions were administered.Methods: Sixty-six students from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years (preclinical group) and sixty-four students from the 4th, 5th, and 6th years (clinical group) of Istanbul Beykent University Faculty of Medicine were included in the study on a voluntary basis. The students were asked 18 closed-ended and 11 open-ended questions using a five-point Likert scale. Statistical analysis of the survey results was performed using SPSS 22 software.Results: It was determined that the instructor's attitude and behaviour influenced students' success in anatomy classes. Students in the clinical phase found the anatomy theory and practical courses inadequate. There was widespread support for the idea that presentations, videos and three-dimensional models should be included in the anatomy curriculum. However, it was observed that the majority of students did not want to specialise in anatomy for their medical training.Conclusions: We believe that the difference in perspective on anatomy education between students who have previously taken anatomy courses in medical school and pre-clinical students currently taking anatomy courses stems from the need for anatomical knowledge in clinical practice. We think that the preference for digital resources is linked to rapid technological advances. We believe that our results will enrich the existing literature on anatomy course functioning.