Anatomical eModule Curriculum: Perceptions of Undergraduate Medical Students Amidst Limited Experiential Laboratory Learning

Taylor J Kratochvil; Kaeli K Samson; Kari L Nelson; Travis L McCumber

doi:10.1007/s40670-024-02076-y

Anatomical eModule Curriculum: Perceptions of Undergraduate Medical Students Amidst Limited Experiential Laboratory Learning

Med Sci Educ. 2024 May 24;34(5):1001-1009. doi: 10.1007/s40670-024-02076-y. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Authors

Taylor J Kratochvil^{1

2

3}, Kaeli K Samson⁴, Kari L Nelson³, Travis L McCumber^{3

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA.
² Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA.
³ College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE USA.
⁴ College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE USA.
⁵ Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE USA.

PMID: 39450021
PMCID: PMC11496452 (available on 2025-10-01)
DOI: 10.1007/s40670-024-02076-y

Abstract

Introduction: Over the past several years, undergraduate medical students were subject to variable learning environments amidst pandemic-related restrictions, challenging long-established experiential learning approaches. Concurrently, health science institutions have been revisiting the value (or lack thereof) of human body dissection. This study examined student experience using a supplemental gross anatomy eModule before, during, and after limitation of in-person experiential gross anatomy curriculum and which eModule attributes students find valuable.

Materials and methods: First-year medical students received a supplemental Distal Upper Limb anatomy eModule from 2019 to 2021 (n = 394). eModule users received a Post-eModule/Pre-Exam survey from 2019 to 2021, and a Post-eModule/Post-Exam survey in 2021. Both surveys included Likert-type and free-response questions.

Results: In Post-eModule/Pre-Exam surveys (2019, 2020, 2021, n = 95), students in the 2021 cohort responded most positively to the eModule's convenience, but most negatively when comparing the eModule to in-person dissection. In Post-eModule/Post-Exam surveys (2021, n = 18), > 75% of students indicated the eModule adequately prepared them to answer eModule-related exam questions. In free-response submissions, users highlighted the use of photos of anatomic dissections as the most beneficial feature. Deficiencies included the absence of figure legends and limited angles/views of specimens.

Conclusions: This study may serve to guide the features included in future digital gross anatomy resources and aid in illustrating student perception of limited in-person experiential learning opportunities.

Keywords: COVID-19; Computer-based learning; Curricular reform; Experiential Learning Theory; Pandemic curriculum; UME; eLearning.

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