Open Access
Subscription Access
Open Access
Subscription Access
Early Clinical Exposure as a Teaching Learning Tool to Teach Neuroanatomy for first Year Occupational and Physical Therapy Students - Our Preliminary Experience
Subscribe/Renew Journal
Background
In most teaching institutions within our country and across the world, first year medical and paramedical students are not provided with any real life clinical experience applicable to the learning of basic sciences within the first twelve months or more of their curriculum. The artificial divide between the pre-clinical sciences and clinical medicine often results in students not encountering patients until the second year of study.
Aim
The focus of our study was to assess the effectiveness of an Early Clinical Exposure program as a teaching-learning tool to teach neuroanatomy to first year occupational and physiotherapy students as well as student reactions to it as an alternative approach.
Method
In addition to the regular classroom lectures and examination of prosected specimens, the program included visits to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation ward to learn neuroanatomy in a clinical setting using patients with different neurological disorders. Anatomical basis for loss of function/dysfunction was explained and neuroanatomical pathways revised in the ward classroom. An objective assessment of student performance was done by a written and practical viva voce examination and the marks compared with those of students not exposed to the ECE program.
Result
95% of students found it useful for better understanding and memory of the subject than the conventional classroom method. In view of the excellent rating of the program, ECE may be implemented for effectively teaching neuroanatomy for students.
Keywords
- Drake RL, McBride JM, Lachman N, Pawlina W (2009) Medical education in the anatomical sciences: the winds of change continue to blow. Anat Sci Educ 2:253–9.
- McLean M (2004) Sometimes we do get it right! Early clinical contact is a rewarding experience. Educ Health (Abingdon) 17:42–52.
- WFME (1994) The World Federation for Medical Education. World Summit on Medical Education. Proceedings, Edinburgh, 8-12 August 1993. Med Educ 28:S1–S171.
- WFME (1998) International standards in medical education: assessment and accreditation of medical schools’-- educational programmes. A WFME position paper. The Executive Council, The World Federation for Medical Education. Med Educ 32:549–558.
- Abramovitch H, Shenkman L, Schlank E, Shoham S, Borkan J (2002) A tale of two exposures: A comparison of two approaches to early clinical exposure. Educ Health (Abingdon) 15:386–90.
- Wartman S, Davis A, Wilson M, Kahn N, Sherwood R, Nowalk A (2001) Curricular change: Recommendations from a national perspective. Acad Med 76:140–5.
- Basak O, Yaphe J, Spiegel W, Wilm S, Carelli F, Metsemakers JF (2009) Early clinical exposure in medical curricula across Europe: An overview. Eur J Gen Pract 15:4–10
- Miller P (2001) Learning styles: The multimedia of the mind. Research Report. Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). Document number ED451140. URL: http:// www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED451140.pdf [accessed 20 September 2010].
- Tanner K, Allen D (2004) Approaches to biology teaching and learning: learning styles and the problem of instructional selection-engaging all students in science courses. Cell Biol Educ 3:197–201.
- Armstrong E, Parsa-Parsi R (2005) How can physicians’ learning styles drive educational planning? Acad Med 80:680–4.
- Fleming ND (1995) I’m different; not dumb. Modes of presentation (VARK) in the tertiary classroom. In: Zelmer A, Zemler L (Editors). Research and Development in Higher Education: Blending Tradition and Technology. Proceedings of the 1995 Annual Conference of the Higher Education and Research Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA 1995); Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia; 1995 Jul 4–8. HERDSA 18:308–13.
- James WB, Gardner DL (1995) Learning styles: Implications for distance learning. New Dir Adult Cont Educ 67:19–32.
- Lujan HL, DiCarlo SE (2006) First year medical students prefer multiple learning styles. Advan Physiol Educ 30:13– 16.
Abstract Views: 514
PDF Views: 0