Definitive Dermatomyotomes

Abstract

Abstract This resource is a tutorial that was developed in Macromedia Flash to convey supplemental information about the normal structure, function, and segmental innervations of definitive dermatomyotomes. Its objective is to stimulate self-directed local and distance learning by creating a diagram, animations, and linked tables of the key structures (skin and skeletal muscles) derived from embryonic dermatomyotomes, as well as definitive neuromuscular relations as related to movements of the upper and lower limbs. The courseware is user friendly and complements didactic and practical (dissection) activities of preclinical health care professionals enrolled in human structure and medical embryology courses. Students manipulate appropriate elements on the computer screen to access content in the learning objects. Since deployment of the courseware in 2001, significantly more students (8%; p < .05) have scored correct answers on written block exam. A retrospective review of existing data that summarized the exam performance of 856 first-year medical students on 228 exam questions over a 9-year period was conducted. The experimental groups (2001–2005) were exposed to didactic lectures, dissection labs, and web-based lecture notes and interactive learning objects, while the control groups (1995–1997) were limited to didactic lectures and the dissection labs. Learner surveys from this study rated the virtual patient simulations the highest (p < .05) among the interactive resources provided for the preclinical human structure course.

Keywords

• Dermatomyotomes
• Definitive Neuromuscular Relations
• Skeletal Muscle Function
• Segmental Innervation