Does Teaching an Etymological Dissection Tool Aid Student Understanding and Retention of Terminology?

Based on the premise that teaching a person a useful skill is ultimately more beneficial than filling a temporary need, we developed a tool for medical students to learn new terminology in embryology. This tool, the etymological dissection approach (EDA), dissects new words using their etymological origins. The goal is to provide students with a tool they can apply, not only for the improved understanding of embryological terminology, but medical terminology in general. After IRB approval (IRB# 1201615‐1), data was obtained from class of 2021 focus groups (Phase I), which guided the development of content, timing, and mode of delivery of an EDA resource for the incoming class of 2023. The data recommended newly admitted students be provided with a pre‐matriculation worksheet and a “hands on” workshop early in their first semester to walk them step‐by‐step through the EDA. In Phase II, we created and delivered a pre‐matriculation EDA worksheet that provided an introduction to word parts and a list of commonly encountered word roots, suffixes and prefixes. This was provided to all incoming students via the Student Academic Success Website. Students were also invited to complete a survey that asked their background in embryology, primary and secondary languages, etc. At the end of the first week of classes, a hands‐on workshop was delivered consisting of EDA exercises outlining the 5 steps for “dissecting” each new term: Connect, Deduce, Confirm, Understand, and Integrate . The exercises were also provided to students via the Academic Success Website, whether they attended the workshop or not. Students were encouraged to use the tool and, at the end of their first semester, complete a survey. Data from the pre‐survey revealed students had little to no prior embryology knowledge (2.323 std. dev. +/− 0.989; 1 = no knowledge; 5 = extremely knowledgeable); only 7% have taken an embryology course and 15% a developmental biology course. While 55% of students reported they were moderate to fluent in Spanish, they reported little to no familiarity with Greek (99%) and or Latin (93%). Interestingly, students reported they sometimes (2.327 std. dev. +/− 1.203; 1 = never; 5 = always) attempt to understand terminology using a technique similar to the EDA, perhaps because 17% have taken a medical terminology course. Those students that reviewed the EDA worksheet prior to the workshop, found it to be moderately useful (3.051 std. dev. +/− 0.972; 1 = not at all useful; 5 = extremely useful). The goal of the post‐survey is to determine if students attended the workshop, found it useful, used the EDA during the semester, and if the EDA technique was efficacious in guiding their understanding and retention of terminology. It is hoped that the EDA will add to a medical student’s skillset and provide a tool that can be used throughout a career requiring life‐long learning.