Student’s evaluation is a valuable tool to improve clinical anatomy courses

Abstract

Background: Medical knowledge and students’ demands are under continuous changes and learning process must adapt accordingly. We retrospectively analyzed students’ evaluation of three different approaches employed in our course of Clinical Anatomy in the last decade. Methods: The University of São Paulo Medical School has a systematic evaluation of each discipline where students grade 38 different topics ranging to physical conditions to the quality of the classes. In this study, different methods to teach Clinical Anatomy to 2nd and 3rd year students of Medicine were confronted to the students’ evaluations, comparing the general appreciation of the course in different teaching approaches. We analyzed the changes in the Anatomy course from 1994 to the present and their impact based on the students´ evaluations. Results: Significant improvement in general evaluation was observed when the course changed from Problem Based Learning technique to a more formal approach with theoretical classes given by specialists, most of them invited from other Clinical Departments of the University. A still better evaluation was obtained as the practical demonstrations focused aspects showed in theoretical classes, which were given mostly by specialists trained in Anatomy. Discussion: Students' evaluation allows course coordinators to redirect objectives and teaching methods to adjust the course format as needed. Performance in final exams may also be analyzed together so effectiveness of the teaching method can be measured along with students’ satisfaction. Conclusion: Continuous feedback from students is essential to course coordinators to adequate strategies to face the modern challenges in the teaching/learning process and obtain the best results in courses of Clinical Anatomy.