Purpose: The present study was conducted to find the preferred mode of learning among first-year preclinical students and compare the preferred mode of learning with sex, faculty of students, and academic performance of the students using the VARK questionnaire. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among 142 first-year Bachelor of Medicine–Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Dental Surgery students from February to May 2018. Demographic data and various academic performance marks were recorded for each individual. VARK (visual, aural, read/write and kinesthetic) questionnaire version 7.8 was administered to calculate the score of each component. Mean VARK scores were calculated and each student classified by their preferred mode of learning. The preferred mode of learning was compared with sex, nationality, faculty of students, and academic performance using χ 2 , unpaired t -tests, and the Mann–Whitney U test. P <0.05 was taken as statistically significant for comparison. Results: A majority of the students (53.52%) were multimodal. The most common multimodal mode of preference was bimodal (26.06%), while the most common unimodal preference was kinesthetic (29.06%). Total V score, K score, and VARK score were higher among males, while A and R scores were higher among females. The K score (7.96±2.35 in males and 6.96±2.43 in females) differed significantly ( P =0.019) between male and female subjects. More subjects with higher scores in the theory exam of anatomy were unimodal learners (53.8%) compared to multimodal learners (46.2%). Conclusion: From this study, it can be concluded that undergraduate students were diverse in their learning styles, but most were multimodal. Though learning styles were found to vary by sex, nationality, and academic performance, differences were not statistically significant.

Learning styles is a term used to refer to the methods of gathering, processing, interpreting, organizing and thinking about information. Students have different learning styles, which is the reason for the diversity seen in classrooms in regards to how students acquire information. Claxton and Murrell had divided the learning styles into the following four categories: personality models, information-processing models, social-interaction models, and instructional preferences models. VARK (an acronym for Visual, Aural, Read/write and Kinesthetic, different way of learning styles) is a learning inventory categorized into the 'instructional preference' modal. Many studies were done using the VARK inventory among the medical education but the preferred mode of learning was variable in different parts of the world. The relationship of age, gender and academic performance with the mode of learning was also not consistent. So this article tried to conclude the preferred mode of learning and relationship of mode of learning with gender and other factors by analyzing the previous studies done using VARK questionnaire among the medical students in daily teaching and learning environment. Pub Med and Google Scholar were used as a search engine to find the article. Altogether 20 full text research papers were retrieved and reviewed. In the most of part of the world the studies showed that multimodal learning style was the predominant one over unimodal. Further in multimodal quadmodal was the most preferred one followed by other presentation. In the unimodal presentation most preferred one is kinesthetic type of learning along with visual, aural and read write in less extent. Age factors had no lucid relationship with the learning style though some variations were observed with age.This review was expected to be useful as scientific evidence in the field of medical education and also as a reference for further research.

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Abstract:The nasal index measurement is one of the methods anthropologists have used to differentiate living race and subspecies of man. Ethnic influences can result in different appearances of the nose and can be found in many shapes and sizes. A total number of 1000 healthy people (500 males and 500 females) aged between 25-45 years belonging to pure race of Tharu and Mongoloid communities were participated in the study. The nasal index was calculated as (Nasal height / Nasal Breadth) × 100 and their significance was tested by Student t-test. Results -Nasal index among the Mongoloid male and female were 74.6 and 75.9 respectively and the Tharu male and female were 83.8 and 82.4 respectively (p<0.05). The result of this study revealed significant difference in Nasal index and in Nasal height (P<0.05) of male and female of Tharu and Mongoloid ethnic races. The study revealed the racial as well as sexual dimorphism pattern in nasal ergonomics in this ethnic group. The sex and ethnicity had considerable effect nasal ergonomics related anthropometric measurements.

With the help of regression equation, femoral length can be calculated from the segmental measurements; and then femoral length can be used to calculate the stature of the individual. The data collected may contribute in the analysis of forensic bone remains in study population.

Objective: This study aimed to measure different segmental measurements of dry femur bone and to use them to derive the regression equation to estimate the total length of femur bones. Materials and Methods: Study was conducted among 60 dry femora disarticulated from the donated cadavers and unclaimed body of Nepalese population. Three longitudinal (segment 1-3) and one circumferential measurement mid-shaft circumference (MSC) were measured along with the maximum femoral length using osteometric board and measuring plastic tape. All measurements were recorded by the same observer twice, and average of two measurements was recorded as a final measurement for recording. Results: Mean length of femur, MSC, segments 1-3 was 41.93 ± 2.47 cm, 8.31 ± 0.59 cm, 15.85 ± 1.57 cm, 10.71 ± 1.76 cm, and 15.37 ± 1.22 cm, respectively. Except for segment 1, all other segmental measurements were slightly higher in right sided femora; but the difference was statistically not significant. All the segmental measurements were found to be positively correlated with the femoral length. The value of coefficient was highest for segment 1 (0.660) followed by MSC (0.625), segment 3 (0.624), and segment 2 (0.379). Conclusion: Femoral length could be estimated with the help of segmental measurements of it using regression equation method among Nepalese group of the population.

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BACKGROUND: Many academicians suggested the supplementary use of 3D-printed models reconstructed from radiological images for optimal anatomy education. 3D-printed model is newer technology available to us. The purpose of this systematic review was to capture the usefulness or effectiveness of this newer technology in anatomy education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for quantitative synthesis. The included studies were sub-grouped according to the interventions and participants. No restrictions were applied based on geographical location, language and publication years. Randomized, controlled trial, cross-sectional and cross-over designs were included. The effect size of each intervention in both participants was computed as a standardized mean difference (SMD). RESULTS: Twenty-two randomized, controlled trials were included for quantitative estimation of effect size of knowledge acquisition as standardized mean difference in 1435 participants. The pooled effect size for 3D-printed model was 0.77 (0.45–1.09, 95% CI, P < 0.0001) with 86% heterogeneity. The accuracy score was measured in only three studies and estimated effect size was 2.81 (1.08–4.54, 95% CI, P = 0.001) with 92% heterogeneity. The satisfaction score was examined by questionnaire in 6 studies. The estimated effect size was 2.00 (0.69–3.32, 95% CI, P = 0.003) with significant heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: The participants exposed to the 3D-printed model performed better than participants who used traditional methodologies. Thus, the 3D-printed model is a potential tool for anatomy education.