MedEdPORTAL (Jan 2016)
Living Anatomy Small-Group Exercise
Abstract
Abstract There exists a need for better integration of the disciplines of gross anatomy and clinical examination. In a first- or second-year clinical skills course, the students are taught basic bony landmarks and how to test the range of motion and integrity of the knee joint, and elicit a deep tendon reflex of the patellar ligament on live patients. The purpose of the activity was to allow the students to focus their efforts on identifying the more detailed anatomical landmarks as an adjunct to the practice and performance of clinical skills. At the same time, the overarching goal of this resource is to bridge preclinical basic science and physical examination skills and to address the need for better preclinical musculoskeletal education. The activity was initially incorporated as a part of the first-year Musculoskeletal Anatomy curriculum at the Washington State University WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program in Pullman, Washington. Due to time constraints in the curriculum at the University of Central Florida's College of Medicine (UCFCOM), only 1 hour was allotted for this activity. Many elements of the original exercise were eliminated and the focus was placed on the major landmarks and palpable structures. The resulting Living Anatomy Small-Group Exercise was designed to be used by medical students to enhance their practical knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy. The exercise is an in-class, active, small-group activity where participants demonstrate and illustrate upon each other (with washable markers) a list of important and clinically relevant musculoskeletal structures. The resource includes the instructor's guide, and the student's guide to the exercise. Supplemental videos are also provided, featuring a student actor serving as a model with a faculty member simultaneously filming and performing the activity with a head-mounted camera to give the potential participants a point-of-view perspective when viewing the videos either prior to or after the activity. These videos were created as an out of classroom resource.
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