Development and testing of an endoscopic anatomy learning tool

In response to increasing use of minimally‐invasive surgical techniques, some clinicians assert that medical educators should modify their approach to teaching anatomy by incorporating endoscopic/laparoscopic anatomy into the basic sciences curriculum. Although endoscopic simulators are widely used in the training of gastroenterologists, their high cost precludes their use in undergraduate medical education. There exists a need for an accessible, cost‐effective endoscopic anatomy learning tool focused primarily on knowledge acquisition as opposed to the development of procedural competence. Male cryosection data sets from the Visible Human Project were used to construct an online 3D virtual endoscopic tour of the GI tract and surrounding organs. Navigation of the GI tract is accompanied by narration detailing key anatomical concepts. Information about the histology and clinical conditions of the tract is presented in informational ‘pop up’ boxes. The efficacy of the endoscopic anatomy program at promoting student learning is being evaluated by drawing a comparison of grade performance on an end of course evaluation between students who used the program and students who did not. Grant Funding Source : Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UWO