Research Article
iMedPub Journals Journal of Anatomical Science and Research 2018
www.imedpub.com Vol.1 No.2:6
Perception of Academics of Medicine on the Methodology of Teaching Applied
in the Discipline of Human Anatomy
Diêgo Lucas Ramos e Silva1*, Edgard Souza Fernandes Filho2, Tássio Gabriel Sampaio Freire3,
Jéssica Alexandre da Silva3, Tatiely de Holanda Barros4, Natanael de Oliveira Silva5 and Fernando
Wagner da Silva Ramos6
1Postgraduate Courses in Teaching for Teaching Higher Education, Maceió, Brazil
2Medical residency Orthopedics/Traumatology, Hospital Manoel Vitorino Salvador, Brazil
3Physiotherapy, Complexo Multidisciplinar Tarcizo Freire Arapiraca, Brazil
4Postgraduate in Psycopathology, college Fera Arapiraca, Brazil
5 Professor Assistant, State university of health science of Alagoas-UNCISAL Maceió, Brazil
6Master of Science in Health, Center of Higher Studies of Maceió-CESMAC Maceió, Brazil
*Corresponding
author: Diêgo Lucas Ramos e Silva, Postgraduate courses in Teaching for Teaching Higher Education Centre of Higher Studies of
Maceió-CESMAC, Maceió, Brazil, Tel: (82) 996439141; E-mail:
[email protected]Received date: November 19, 2018; Accepted date: December 21, 2018; Published date: December 28, 2018
Citation: Silva DLR, Filho ESF, Freire TGS, Silva JA, Barros TH, et al. (2018) Perception of Academics of Medicine on the Methodology of Teaching
Applied in the Discipline of Human Anatomy. J Anat Sci Res Vol. 1 No.2: 6
Copyright: ©2018 Silva DLR, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Introduction
Abstract Anatomy is a Geek word formed of two parts; Ana=up &
tomy=cutting. Anatomy is the main basic medical science; and
Studies related to education in anatomy are currently represents the language of medicine. It is the study of
well-targeted in the teaching methodology applied in this structure of the human body [1]. Although anatomy is
discipline. Unfortunately, anatomy teaching is critical fundamental to health education, in various circumstances
because of reduced access to cadaveric material by students perceive their need only when they are at the side of
anatomy departments. Thus, it is necessary to adopt
a bed or, especially medical students, at a patient's operating
other teaching methods that are independent of
table [2].
cadaveric use during anatomy classes in many institutions
of higher education. This article aimed to evaluate the In fact, some students see in the cadaveric piece a simple
methods most used by anatomy teachers in higher tool for their study, although others see in it their own future
education institutions in Maceió/AL and the contribution [3]. Studies related to education in anatomy are currently well-
of each one in the teaching-learning process of health targeted in the teaching methodology applied in this discipline
academics. The students answered a qualitative and [4]. An example of this is the debate on the use of dissection
quantitative questionnaire (appendix) with questions as a useful tool in anatomy classes that are still far from being
regarding the materials used during practical classes in solved.
the anatomy laboratory, the theoretical and practical
methods used during a didactic evaluation, and the Technology is already part of the students' daily life and the
student's perception of the methods used and the teaching-learning process must be consistent with the reality
importance of the anatomy their professional training. that the student experiences in his daily life. Thus, changes in
The use of the atlas book, written test and rounds on pedagogical practices in the classroom should stimulate the
bench tops were the methods most students referred to individual to obtain scientific knowledge and develop attitudes
use during anatomy classes. It is concluded that studies of citizenship in their social context [5]. On the other hand,
that measure the satisfaction of medical students during the learning of the human anatomy, the formation of
regarding the use of some methods in the discipline of images of anatomical structures in the minds of many students
human anatomy are necessary. is still complicated.
In this way, several studies affirm that visual cues are
Keywords: Anatomy; Education; Medicine fundamental for the learning of the human anatomy,
especially when the environments of theory and practice, as
well as virtual, are integrated, favouring a more active learning
[6].
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Vol.1 No.2:6
In some disciplines, such as histology, there are technologies The questionnaire was created on a form in Word format.
that are used during their teaching, among them Computer- The data will be recorded in an Excel 2007 spread sheet for
Assisted Instruction (CAI), which allows students to learn by calculation and distribution of frequencies in the form of
themselves, being guided by program sites [7]. Unfortunately, graphs. All registered data has been archived in CD's. The
the teaching of anatomy is very critical because of reduced quantification of the participants by faculty was distributed as
access to cadaveric material by anatomy departments [8]. presented in Table 1.
Thus, it is necessary to adopt other teaching methods that are
independent of cadaveric use during anatomy classes in many Table 1: The quantification of the participants by faculty.
institutions of higher education.
UFAL UNCISAL CESMAC Total
Currently, in addition to cadaveric fixtures fixed in
formaldehyde, other teaching methods are used by teachers of Medicine 40 50 50 140
higher education institutions during practical human anatomy
classes in laboratories. The use of anatomical models is
becoming more and more frequent; however, their use is not
Results
the most appropriate, often not showing the actual In the present study, 3 HEI‘s participated, one from the
dimensions of anatomical structures and their high cost [9]. private network and two from the public network, in which
Recently, a study using 3D impressions of body sections one was an HEI from the state network and another from the
showed that this technology is very useful in anatomy classes federal network. Of the 140 students in the sample, 86 (61.4%)
due to the real dimensions that it provides for topographic participated in the study.
relations and morphological veracity [7]. In view of the above, At the private HEI, 50 (58.2%) students participated; in the
this article sought to evaluate the methods most used by federal public HEI, 11 (12.8%) students participated and in the
anatomy teachers in higher education institutions in Maceió/Al state public HEI, 25 (29%) students participated (Figure 1). The
and the contribution of each one in the teaching-learning 54 (38.6%) students, who did not participate, either did not
process of health academics. sign the TCLE or did not study full time in the HEI.
Material and Methods
It was a cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study.
The research was carried out at the Center of Higher Studies of
Maceió (CESMAC). The sample consisted of all the students of
the first year of the Medicine course.
The study participants were recruited according to inclusion
and exclusion criteria. Students of the first year of the
Medicine course of each Institution of Higher Education (HEI)
of the municipality of Maceió/AL were selected randomly, in
the classroom, at the end of the same one. The teacher was Figure 1: Distribution of medical students according to IES;
then asked to allow the researcher to contact the students. Source: Author, 2017.
The research was explained orally and a free and informed
consent form was delivered prior to the start of the According to the questionnaire they answered, 82 (95.3%)
information collection. The anonymity of the participants was students reported using the book in relation to the practical
guaranteed and they were free to, even if they signed the method used during the practical classes of human anatomy,
document, at any time, withdraw their consent and stop atlas as the most commonly used method.
participating in the study in progress. The students of the first Of these, 48 respondents (58.5%) were from the private HEI;
year of the HEI Medicine course were included. Excluded were 25 (30.5%) respondents were from the IES public of the state
those with characteristics of inclusion criteria that refused to network and 9 respondents (11%) were from the public HEI of
participate in the study, who had locked up or dropped out of the federal network. The second most used method was the
the course, who were paying disciplines, but did not attend the use of a practical script, which made up a total of 64 students
entire period, and students from other courses who were (78%) referring to their use.
paying for courses in Medicine.
The third method was the use of markers in anatomical
The students answered a qualitative and quantitative pieces, with 58 students (70.7%) reporting their use. Finally,
questionnaire with questions regarding the materials used the practice of dissection was the least frequent method, and
during practical classes in the anatomy laboratory, the was used by 30 students (34.8%) (Figure 2).
theoretical and practical methods used during a didactic
evaluation, and the student's perception of the methods used
and the importance of the anatomy their professional training.
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Regarding the didactic method used in the practical
evaluation, all the students of the three HEI (100%) answered
that they performed rounds in the stands during the practical
evaluations. Afterwards, 38 students (44.2%) reported the
timing with palms as the method used in the practical
evaluation, followed by the practical simulations, which was
reported by 36 students (41.8%). No student of the three HEI
cited palatal timekeeping and all anatomical structures,
grouped in a single bench-as a method used during the
practical didactic evaluation (Figure 5).
Figure 2: Practical methods most used in the discipline of
anatomy; Source: Author, 2017.
When asked what materials were used during the practical
classes, all the students of the three HEIs (100%) responded
that they used formulated corpses as their support material.
Subsequently, cadaveric specimens were referred to as
material used by a total of 59 students (68.6%), followed by
glycerinated cadavers and 2D anatomical models, both of
which had a total of 25 students (29%) referring to their use,
being all of CESMAC. No student reported using corpses with
other preservatives, 3D anatomical models, or using Figure 5: Most commonly used method; Source: Author,
computers as materials used during practical classes (Figure 2017.
3).
When asked if the student was satisfied with the material
and/or method used in the class or practical didactic
evaluation of the discipline of human anatomy, among the
medical students of three HEIs, 3 respondents (27.3%) in the
HEI of the federal public network, 18 respondents (72%) of the
HEI of the state public network and 5 respondents (10%) of the
private network HEIs said they were satisfied. Only 1 student
(4%) from the state public HEI preferred not to respond (Figure
6).
Figure 3: Most used materials in practical anatomy classes;
Source: Author, 2017.
In relation to the didactic method used in the theoretical
evaluation, all the students of the three HEI (100%) answered
that the written test was the method used in this type of
evaluation, followed by 75 students (87.2%) who reported
doing seminars and, finally, 28 students (32.5%) are counting
on the discussion of clinical cases in this segment (Figure 4).
Figure 6: Percentage of students satisfied with the practical
method/material used in anatomy discipline; Source:
Author, 2017.
Among the reasons for the satisfaction mentioned by the
students are: 1) the use of dissection as a practical method,
which helps to deepen the study of human anatomy and the
Figure 4: Most used methods in the evaluation theory of training of the physician; 2) the use of formalized cadavers,
anatomy; Source: Author, 2017. which makes the learning. Among the students who stated
that they were dissatisfied with the material and/or method
used in the class or practical didactic evaluation of the
discipline of human anatomy, the general reasons were: the
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Journal of Anatomical Science and Research 2018
Vol.1 No.2:6
lack of structured laboratories offered by the universities, the observing that websites were materials used by a considerable
criteria used in the practical evaluation, the poor conservation number of medical students in their study (37.81%) [10].
of the cadaveric parts and the quantity available for the
The written test was the didactic method of the theoretical
students, besides the limited support of the teachers during
evaluation most used by the students who participated in the
the classes in the laboratories.
present study. In this regard, Zanon & Althaus [16] consider
When asked about the students' opinion regarding the that objective evidence does not become advisable for
contribution of the discipline of human anatomy in university pedagogical practice, because it presents a factual
professional training, in general, discipline was mentioned as focus of contents. It is worth mentioning that the written test
being fundamental to medical training; the knowledge of the for the student is a method that is "imposed" by the IES as an
discipline as fundamental to know the human body; the instrument of institutional evaluation, thus reducing the
understanding of it as an aid in clinical perception and surgical possibility of the student choosing not to use it.
skills; its broad knowledge as a conducive to the diagnosis of
In this work, the bench top rounds was the most used
diseases; as well as being necessary to ensure accurate and
didactic method in the practical evaluations of medical
humane care for future patients.
students. This finding is scarce in the literature, as well as the
It is worth mentioning that the questionnaire allowed the use of the other practical methods evaluated in this research.
student to indicate in the same question several alternatives, It is believed that this can occur because there are several
in this way, being able to affirm the use of more than one particularities in the methods used by human anatomy
method and / or material in the discipline of human anatomy. teachers in the practical assessments of the discipline applied
in the different institutions of higher education [17].
Discussion In this research, dissection was pointed out as a
fundamental practical method for the deepening of the study
In this study, the use of atlas was the practical method used of the human anatomy and in the formation of the physician.
by most students (95.3%). This finding corroborates with [10] This finding corroborates [11], who affirms the use of
who state in their study that the use of the atlas book is a dissection as a tool that allows the student a more real study
didactic resource widely used by medical scholars. of the human body, which better visualizes the anatomical
Dissection was a method used by few medical students in regions and structures present in each of the anatomical
this study. Such finding does not agree with what was planes.
observed in which the results of his research indicated that Another student's satisfaction with the materials and/or
first year students of medicine use this method during their practical methods used in the discipline of human anatomy
training and become aware of this early on [11]. It is important was the use of formalized corpses, which makes the learning
to note the statement of a student who participates in process more realistic. This finding corroborates what was
research on the importance of dissection during practical observed by Babinski et al. [13] when they affirm that 85.1% of
classes: "It is important to see the various layers of the body the students cited the use of corpses as being important in the
while dissecting. Specimens are not always sufficient as not all learning during the practical classes.
components (nerves, muscles, veins, etc.) are present [12].
In this study, the knowledge of the discipline as fundamental
In the present study, the use of formulated corpses was the to know the human body was one of the contributions of the
material considered most used among medical students. This study of human anatomy referred by the students. Such
finding is in line with the study by Babinski et al. [13] who, in finding was observed by Babinski et al. [13] in which 92.2% of
their study of 395 students from various courses, including the students showed interest in the subject because they
medicine (n=35), observed that 96.2% of the students used the considered it important for the knowledge of the human body.
corpse as support material.
Most students in this study stated they were dissatisfied
The use of 2D anatomical models was not frequent among with the methods and/or materials used in the discipline of
the students of this study. This is not in agreement with [9] human anatomy. Such findings are not in agreement with [10],
who refer to the use of these models quite frequently in the who in a study of 225 students observed that 59.20% found
teaching of human anatomy, highlighting its high cost. the methods, used in the teaching-learning process of human
However, Farias et al. [14] states that although the models are anatomy to be adequate.
no longer used than cadavers, they can be a complementary
means for the learning of the human anatomy. On the other hand, Hegazy [1] stated that the corpses are
only one mean for study of anatomy. Such study could be also
In this study, the use of 3D anatomical models was not achieved by other modalities such as models simulating
mentioned by the students, however [9] point out that the use human body, videos, films, photographs, and imaging including
of these models may benefit medical students because they X-rays, MRI and CT scans. Moreover, the students could learn
are future users of this imaging technique, as well as the use of anatomy through attending the surgical operations even via
computers, which were not mentioned by the students. This screens.
finding does not corroborate Bucarey & Álvarez [15] who refer
to the use of interactive atlases as a widely used resource
among medical students in the United States, as when
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Journal of Anatomical Science and Research 2018
Vol.1 No.2:6
Conclusion 8. Inzunza O, Caro I, Mondragón G, Baeza F, Burdiles A, et al. (2015)
3D impressions, new technology that supports anatomical
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classes of human anatomy and that the formulated corpse is anatomy: differences in performance in questions conducted in
the material used by students of all HEIs who see in it the most models, anatomical preparations and corpses. Int J Morphol 29:
real way to know the body human. 490-495
10. Reis C, Martins MM, Mendes RAF, Gonçalves IB, Filho HCS, et al.
The most used methods in the evaluations of the discipline (2013) Evaluation of the perception of medical course students
of human anatomy in the studied institutions are the written about the anatomical study. Rev Bras Educ Med 37: 350-358
test and the rounds in benches, and similar studies with these
methods are scarce in the literature, in this way, it is important 11. Flores BGM (2006) The meaning of dissection practice for
medical students. Int J Morphol 24: 575-580
a call to carry out works that measure the satisfaction of
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Morphol 33: 89-95
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