Integrating gross pathology into teaching of undergraduate medical science students using human cadavers

Abstract

Human cadavers offer a great opportunity for histopathology students for the learning and teaching of tissue pathology. In this study, we aimed to implement an integrated learning approach by using cadavers to enhance students' knowledge and to develop their skills in gross tissue identification, handling and dissection techniques. A total of 35 students enrolled in the undergraduate medical science program participated in this study. A 3-hour laboratory session was conducted that included an active exploration of cadaveric specimens to identify normal and pathological tissues as well as tissue dissection. The majority of the students strongly agreed that the integration of normal and morbid anatomy improved their understanding of tissue pathology. All the students either agreed or strongly agreed that this laboratory session was useful to improve their tissue dissection and instrument handling skills. Furthermore, students from both cohorts rated the session as very relevant to their learning and recommended that this approach be added to the existing histopathology curriculum. To conclude, an integrated cadaver-based practical session can be used effectively to enhance the learning experience of histopathology science students, as well as improving their manual skills of tissue treatment, instrument handling and dissection.

Cadaver Dissection Is Obsolete in Medical Training! A Misinterpreted Notion

“…Recent studies also recommend integrating CD into the modern curriculum [43], but some medical schools offer CD to students only when they are in their clinical rotation/internship [44]. In addition, CD is found to be beneficial in integrated teaching approaches for histopathology training [45]. Details of institutions conducting anatomy teaching with CD in the modern curriculum are given in Table 2.…”

Evaluation of multidisciplinary strategies and traditional approaches in teaching pathology in medical students

“…2 Pathology education generally utilizes a combination of traditional teaching methods such as lectures, tutorials and practical sessions. 1 The traditional use of the microscope provides more interactive and moving imprints of tissue pathologies compared to the static, close-up images from a textbook or online. 3 In a conventional practical education setting, students will cover differences between normal and abnormal tissue changes, to scan the entire slide, find the area of pathology, then zoom in, and study it.…”

“…Pathology teaching integrates the scientific basis of disease processes into the clinical years, where the pathophysiology and pathogenesis will be applied within a practical clinical context . Studies have suggested that junior doctors must understand the pathological basis of disease for them to recognize and use the language of medicine, as well as to comprehend evidence‐based treatments and outcomes, describe the natural history of the disease and for better preparation for the genetic evolution of modern medicine …”

Population representation among anatomical donors and the implication for medical student education

“…Cadavers allow medical students, regardless of previous experience with chronic disease or anatomy labs, to actively learn from the “primary source” (Prabhu et al, )and has been described as “the most universal…step in becoming a doctor” (Dyer and Thorndike, ; McLachlan and Patten, ). A vertical integration of clinical practices into undergraduate medical education has redirected the focus of anatomy courses from “general and normal” anatomical structures, and toward disease burden, clinical correlations, and anatomical variations (Pawlina and Lachman, ; Gopalan et al, ; Rae et al, ).…”

“….step in becoming a doctor" (Dyer and Thorndike, 2000;McLachlan and Patten, 2006). A vertical integration of clinical practices into undergraduate medical education has redirected the focus of anatomy courses from "general and normal" anatomical structures, and toward disease burden, clinical correlations, and anatomical variations (Pawlina and Lachman, 2004;Gopalan et al, 2016;Rae et al, 2017). Chun et al (2007) explored the value of undergraduate medical students studying both normal morphology of the heart, as well as varied cardiac pathologies among anatomical donors.…”