Computerized testing has been introduced at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) as a way to standardize the assessment experience among the different campuses. The computerized testing uses medical students’ personal computers and requires ExamSoft Worldwide software to be loaded directly onto each computer. This software ensures that each exam can only be viewed during official testing times and blocks the use of other software and the internet during testing. This testing method was introduced during the second year of coursework for one medical school class (n=29). Student perceptions of computerized exams were of interest to faculty because this class took only paper exams during the first year of medical school. A survey was given to second year pathology students prior to their first experience with computerized testing to gather information on any concerns and preconceptions the students had about the new testing system. A second survey was given to the same class after two block exams had been taken with the computerized testing system. Prior to their first experience with computerized testing, survey responses indicated the class had concerns with the use of personal computers and the possibility of a technical malfunction, as well as how their performance would be affected by not having a paper copy of the test to make notes on. After taking two computerized exams, concerns about technical issues and the use of personal computers were reduced, but concerns about not being able to make notations on a paper copy of the exam remained.
Most students pursuing careers in anatomy or related disciplines have a limited understanding of how, over the centuries, the intricate structure of the human body came to be known. To provide students with the relevant historical perspective, we developed a team‐taught survey course in the history of anatomical sciences—including gross anatomy, histology, neuroanatomy, and embryology—from antiquity to the present. Taught entirely via Zoom during the Spring semester of 2021, History of Anatomy (2 semester hours credit) met once per week for approximately 2 hours. Enrollment consisted of 5 undergraduate students majoring in Biology (2), Human Biology (2), or Anthropology (1), as well as 3 graduate students pursuing either a master’s degree in Clinical Anatomy (1) or a Ph.D. in Anatomy Education (2). Three of the students had no prior coursework in anatomy. Through assigned readings, lectures, and discussions, the class explored the work of the great anatomists and their discoveries. A particular emphasis was placed on the evolution of anatomy as a discipline and the cultural influences, scientific controversies, and ethical dilemmas facing its practitioners. Syllabus topics included critical appraisals of the role of gender, race, and ethnicity in anatomical discovery. A key feature of the course was the opportunity for students to engage in robust discussions about such controversial issues as: Eurocentric biases in our understanding of human anatomy and the untold story of Muslim contributions to anatomical knowledge well before Vesalius; Competing claims of priority for who “discovered” the pulmonary circulation; The underappreciated role of women in the history of anatomy and medicine; The ethical quandary of teaching anatomy from archival fetal specimens obtained before the era of informed consent; Accusations that famed anatomist William Hunter used the bodies of murdered pregnant women to create his anatomical atlas of the gravid uterus; Complicity of Eduard Pernkopf and other Nazi‐era anatomists in the unethical use of executed victims to obtain images for a renowned anatomical atlas. All students were assessed through weekly homework (written responses to study questions), a mid‐term writing assignment, and a term paper about an historical topic of the student’s choosing. Graduate students had the additional requirement of a class presentation about their term paper topic. The end‐of‐course evaluation suggested that the course was well‐received by the students (mean Likert score = 4.63 on a 5‐point scale; n = 6). Based on this positive reception, we plan to offer History of Anatomy again on a recurring basis. We believe that by knowing our history, both the good and the bad, future practitioners of anatomy and related disciplines will be less likely to perpetuate the biases and ethical transgressions of earlier eras.
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