Clinical observership as an aid to learning and understanding of human embryology

Abstract

Hands-on learning approach such as ‘Clinical observership’ is globally applicable in learning. This study evaluated clinical observership as an aid to pre-clinical medical students’ understanding of human embryology. Students were grouped into A and B; group B took calls as studentobservers in the labour ward of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital in addition to taking regular classes in embryology while group A was the control group. Previously validated selfadministered questionnaires were used to test students’ intelligence quotient and knowledge of embryology before and after lectures and clinical observership. The short-term effect of clinical observership was tested by comparing the pre-field and post-field responses of the studentvolunteers while the long-term effect was tested by evaluating their performance in the first professional exams after the completion of pre-clinical program. The perception of group B participants on the observership program was assessed with a pre-tested questionnaire. There was no significant difference (p=0.4162) in the IQ between the control (77±1.2) and the experimental group (79±1.4). There was no significant difference (p= 0.0795) in the mean preobservation test score between the control (33±1.7) and the experimental group (38±1.7). However, a significant increase (p=0.0282) was observed in the mean post-observation test score in the experimental (29±2.4) when compared with the control (22±1.9). Although there was an increase in the mean score in the MBBS exam in the experimental group (59±2.7) when compared with the control (57±2.0), it was not statistically significant. On the perception of the method in improving learning, majority of the students were affirmative. Clinical observership enhances the learning of embryology hence we recommend its incorporation into the teaching methods of embryology in medical schools.