Effect of a Three‐Dimensional Anatomy Atlas on Medical Education Under Pandemic Restrictions

Abstract

Introduction The COVID‐19 pandemic posed significant challenges to the instruction of in‐person cadaveric dissection. Compared to previous years, there was a 66% reduction in student lab dissection times for the first‐year medical students (MS1s) at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Complete Anatomy (CA), a three‐dimensional (3D) anatomy atlas, was provided as an additional educational resource to supplement the in person cadaveric dissection labs. The aim of this study is to increase student engagement by producing tailored anatomical modules in CA and to evaluate their effects on students’ stress levels and summative practical exam performance throughout the Clinically Oriented Anatomy (COA) block. We hypothesized that the CA modules would allow current MS1s to perform to the same academic standard as students who did not have these COVID‐19 limitations and reduce their exam stress. Methods Learning modules were created that displayed 3D anatomical structures corresponding to each of the 27 COA in person dissection labs. The CA modules consisted of content and quizzes that MS1s could access either outside or inside the lab. At the end of each of the three COA units and at the end of the COA block, students were surveyed about their participation and satisfaction with the modules. Students’ performance on module quizzes was compared to their performance on summative practical exams. Additionally, the Class of 2023’s performance in COA was compared to the Class of 2024’s, with the latter taking the block under pandemic restrictions. Results Throughout the block, 82%‐95% (unit 1 n=97/102, unit 2 n=67/72, unit 3 n=107/130) of survey respondents reported using the modules as a study aid and 55%‐79% used the modules for all 27 anatomy labs. Additionally, 75%‐87% of MS1s rated the modules as “very useful” or higher on a Likert‐scale survey, with a majority of surveyed students using both the content and quizzes. At the end of the block a second survey showed 74% (n=70/94) of students “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that using the modules reduced their stress, and 80% (n=75/94) “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that modules allowed them to continue their learning outside of the lab. MS1 performance in the COA block was positively correlated with performance on CA quizzes (r=0.46, p<0.0001). Further, there was no significant difference between the 2023 and 2024 MS1 classes in summative practical exam scores for units 1 and 3, as well as in the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) exam. However, there was a significant increase in summative practical exam performance in the Class of 2024 for unit 2 (p<0.0001) as compared to the Class of 2023. Conclusion Findings suggest that the CA modules facilitated student engagement in anatomy and positively enhanced their medical education throughout the COA block. Although dissection time and lab access were limited, the CA modules benefitted the students and could have potentially compensated for that lost time.