Integration of innovative educational technologies in anatomy teaching: new normal in anatomy education

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of turmoil in medical teaching, the magnitude of impact is many folds in the subject of anatomy, as it is practical based. A major challenge for anatomy teachers is to replicate the experience of practical exposures. These exposures range from cadaveric dissection to demonstration of bones, museum specimens, and histology slides, where they will have interactive communication with students, and thus help in the enhancement of communication and clinical skills among them. In recent days, anatomy teachers throughout the globe started using various advanced technology to make the teaching–learning session more interesting. In pre-pandemic era, usage of such advancements in information and communication technology was a ‘choice’. But pandemic has changed the situation drastically, what was a ‘choice’ earlier is now an ‘obligation.’ Presently although infection rate is low, vaccination rate is high, most of the medical schools re-opened for usual offline teaching, still body donation is all time low making the situation ‘back to square one’. Keeping such unprecedented situations in mind, we need to incorporate various innovative educational technologies in day-to-day teaching–learning methodologies.

Students’ perspective on the interactive online anatomy labs during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…The tutor also asked the students to ensure they had assimilated the teaching objectives and further promote the dialogue and interaction. This interaction between tutor and students was one of our primary goals, while planning these ONALs, given that the learning gains for the students are significantly greater when they are actively engaged in the teaching procedure, as already reported in the data literature [ 17 , 26 , 27 , 30 , 32 ]. In total 49 short videos (12 for group 1, 16 for group 2, and 11 for group 3) were created.…”

“…The need for a multimodal approach to anatomy teaching became more prominent last 2 years [ 26 , 28 ] with the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension imposed on Greek Universities due to the SARS-CoV-2 spread hindered the students’ learning.…”

Development and Validation of a Novel Methodological Pipeline to Integrate Neuroimaging and Photogrammetry for Immersive 3D Cadaveric Neurosurgical Simulation

“…However, access to such laboratories is limited due to a global shortage of cadavers, increasing costs of cadaver materials, and fewer dedicated anatomy laboratories, as well as the recent coronavirus pandemic. All these factors have contributed to decreased availability and use of cadavers worldwide ( 19 – 23 ). As a result, these recent limitations have paralleled the rapid adoption of new technologies to replace cadavers in anatomical training and international collaborations to maximize the use of the existing cadaver supply ( 19 , 20 , 24 – 26 ).…”

The importance of the human element in teaching the anatomical sciences

“…We read the article entitled “Integration of innovative educational technologies in anatomy teaching: New normal in anatomy education” by Dr. Patra and co-authors that was recently published in Surgical and Radiological Anatomy [ 4 ] with great interest and appreciation. We wholeheartedly agree that anatomy teachers should be encouraged to try out innovative educational technologies, many of which are featured in this comprehensive review [ 4 ].…”

“…We read the article entitled “Integration of innovative educational technologies in anatomy teaching: New normal in anatomy education” by Dr. Patra and co-authors that was recently published in Surgical and Radiological Anatomy [ 4 ] with great interest and appreciation. We wholeheartedly agree that anatomy teachers should be encouraged to try out innovative educational technologies, many of which are featured in this comprehensive review [ 4 ]. The importance of technology for the teaching of the anatomical sciences in today’s learning environment is undisputed, and these approaches have proven to be especially valuable during the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.…”