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Embryos in Gross Anatomy Laboratory? The Educational Impact of 3D Printed Embryo Model Integration in Medical Basic Sciences Education
Author(s) -
Plunkett Cassidy,
Dueñas Angelique,
Stratford Jennifer,
Leppek Noah,
Lee Lisa MJ
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2019.33.1_supplement.17.1
Subject(s) - embryology , gross anatomy , resource (disambiguation) , anatomy , embryo , medical education , psychology , computer science , medicine , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , computer network
Embryology, the study of embryonic development, lays foundation for gross anatomy, anatomical variations, and congenital conditions. Despite its evident applicability to other basic sciences subjects and clinical medicine, curricular hours devoted for embryology in medical education have been reduced to a minimum. As a result, and due to the multidimensional and rapid nature of development, embryology is often perceived as one of the most difficult subjects to learn and teach. To enhance embryology education, 3D virtual and 3D printed embryo models were developed by segmenting and rendering serial embryo tissue sections. Previous studies assessing the educational value of these resources with various student populations have shown positive learning outcomes. The aim of the current study was to assess the educational value of the 3D printed and 3D virtual embryo models in an integrated medical basic sciences curricular framework. In a Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board exempt study (#18‐1600), 160 first‐year medical students were randomized into 4 groups, each receiving a different resource for integrating embryology, in a gross anatomy laboratory. All groups received a pamphlet with embryo figures. While Group A received no additional resource; Group B received 3D virtual models; Group C, 3D printed models; and Group D, an instructor‐led tutorial of embryology on an adult cadaver. The educational impact of the resources was analyzed by comparison of quiz scores on embryonic anatomy before and after resource exposure. Perceived value of the assigned resources was assessed by survey analytics. The results show that Groups A and C improved post quiz scores on average by 8% and 12% respectively, while Groups B and D had modest increases of 5% and 2%. A Kruskal‐Wallis test comparing combined scores of all four groups revealed that post‐quiz score increase was statistically significant (p=0.046) indicating that embryology resources had an overall positive effect on student performance. Dwass‐Steel‐Critchlow‐Fligner pairwise comparisons showed that the difference in pre to post‐quiz scores was only significant between Groups C and D (p=0.004) suggesting that interacting with 3D printed embryo models led to higher learning outcomes than instructor‐led embryology tutorials on cadavers. In the survey, after students explored all four learning resources, majority ranked 3D printed embryo models to be the highest in educational value and easiest to use. In the current randomized study, 3D printed embryo model integration in gross anatomy laboratory appears to hold a high potential for improving students' interest in learning and mastery of embryology.Embryology learning resources A . Pamphlet with embryo figures. B . 3D virtual embryo model. C . 3D printed embryo model. D . Instructor‐led tutorial with cadavers.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .