Learning anatomy enhances spatial ability

Abstract

Spatial ability is an important factor in learning anatomy. Students with high scores on a mental rotation test (MRT) systematically score higher on anatomy examinations. This study aims to investigate if learning anatomy also oppositely improves the MRT-score. Five hundred first year students of medicine (n = 242, intervention) and educational sciences (n = 258, control) participated in a pretest and posttest MRT, 1 month apart. During this month, the intervention group studied anatomy and the control group studied research methods for the social sciences. In the pretest, the intervention group scored 14.40 (SD: ± 3.37) and the control group 13.17 (SD: ± 3.36) on a scale of 20, which is a significant difference (t-test, t = 4.07, df = 498, P < 0.001). Both groups show an improvement on the posttest compared to the pretest (paired samples t-test, t = 12.21/14.71, df = 257/241, P < 0.001). The improvement in the intervention group is significantly higher (ANCOVA, F = 16.59, df = 1;497, P < 0.001). It is concluded that (1) medical students studying anatomy show greater improvement between two consecutive MRTs than educational science students; (2) medical students have a higher spatial ability than educational sciences students; and (3) if a MRT is repeated there seems to be a test effect. It is concluded that spatial ability may be trained by studying anatomy. The overarching message for anatomy teachers is that a good spatial ability is beneficial for learning anatomy and learning anatomy may be beneficial for students' spatial ability. This reciprocal advantage implies that challenging students on spatial aspects of anatomical knowledge could have a twofold effect on their learning.

Evaluation of an online three‐dimensional interactive resource for undergraduate neuroanatomy education

“…The results of this study also demonstrate a correlation between student's level of spatial ability and their success in learning the spatial relationships in neuroanatomy, a result that is supported by previously conducted studies that have reported similar findings (Garg et al, ; Guillot et al, ; Vorstenbosch et al, ). All anatomy knowledge assessment scores were significantly correlated by the participants' level of spatial ability.…”

Evaluating dissection in the gross anatomy course: Correlation between quality of laboratory dissection and students outcomes

“…Anatomy remains an important cornerstone for medical students, as it provides the foundation with which future clinical knowledge will be expounded upon (Sugand et al, ; Johnson et al, ). As an integral part of medical school anatomy courses in the United States, active dissection supplemented with multimedia and imaging technology in the laboratory establishes a learning environment that enhances problem‐solving and spatial reasoning skills needed to interpret imaging in clinical practice (Sugand et al, ; Vorstenbosch et al, ). It also promotes self‐reflection and collaboration required as future clinicians (Lachman and Pawlina, ; Sugand et al, ).…”

Twelve tips for implementing artistic learning approaches in anatomy education

“…Actively encouraging reluctant students to engage in the artistic activity may help them to realise that they can actually learn in different ways (Naug et al, 2011), which is important for their metacognition and lifelong learning beyond anatomy and medical school. While artistic background and learning preferences may not influence learning with artistic methods, it is important to be aware of the existence of gender differences in visuospatial ability (Langlois et al, 2013;Linn & Petersen, 1985), an attribute which in turn is a key indicator of anatomical understanding (Fernandez, Dror, & Smith, 2011;Guillot, Champely, Batier, Thiriet, & Collet, 2007;Rochford, 1985;Vorstenbosch et al, 2013). …”