Motivations & Experiences of Postgraduate Anatomy Training

Abstract

Background: Anatomy teaching at medical schools has undergone significant changes in philosophy, and reduction in content, in recent years. Senior clinicians and speciality training Colleges have raised concerns regarding these changes and questioned their impact on 'anatomical competence' and adequacy of training for safe clinical practice. The literature on the perceptions of medical school anatomy teaching among those preparing to enter postgraduate training (i.e. towards a specialist qualification) is sparse. Aim: To assess the motivations for study, and experiences of training, in junior doctors undertaking an intensive postgraduate anatomy training program. Methods: A sample of candidates (13/119, 10%) undertaking the University of Melbourne Graduate Diploma in Surgical Anatomy were recruited for interview. These interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analysed using a combination of thematic and contextual approaches. Key themes were identified and explored. Results: Participant responses fell into two broad categories-motivations for enrolling into the course and their actual experiences of the course. The primary motivation for enrolling into the course was the perceived career requirement to do so, with participants asserting that attending such courses was perceived as mandatory for success in specialty training. Once enrolled, participants valued the teaching and learning and enjoyed the academic pursuit of high-level anatomy study. These benefits, however, were offset by a range of undesirable outcomes associated with undertaking the course. Participants identified the financial cost of the course, the unwillingness of employers to provide rostered study leave and the negative impact on work-life balance as the most significant challenges. Conclusions: Understanding the concerns and expectations of junior doctors preparing for a speciality training program by increasing their anatomy knowledge has implications for both Colleges and medical educators. The participants in this study recognised the limitations in their anatomy knowledge and actively sought additional training at significant financial and personal cost to themselves. This was counterbalanced by the perceived benefits to their career, and an opportunity to enter a specialist training program, by completing additional study.

Applied anatomy knowledge in gynaecology and obstetrics: the trainees’ perception

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A pragmatic approach to effective anatomy teaching and learning to medical students: a ten-year experience using evidence-based principles

“…The program at UNDA SOMS is a graduate-entry, four-year Doctor of Medicine program with students from a diverse range of educational backgrounds and currently, each cohort has approximately 132 students. Our anatomy faculty share certain commonalities with other medical schools, namely (1) difficulty in sourcing quality tutors, (2) a significant number of students (roughly twenty percent) with non-science background, (3) allocation of reduced anatomy teaching hours, and (4) limited funding for both technological resources and teachers ( Lockwood and Roberts, 2007 ; Yammine, 2014 ; Estai and Bunt, 2016 ; Cameron et al , 2019 ; Trautman , McAndrew and Craig, 2019 ; Williams, Hawkins and Khalil, 2020 ).…”