Evaluating the Efficacy of a Video Dissection Guide Tailored to the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Gross Anatomy Curricula

In an effort to close the educational gap caused by low instructor to student ratios in gross anatomy labs, a new video dissector based on the required written text used at Louisiana State University (LSU), Grant's Dissector 15th edition, is being created by the gross anatomy faculty. As currently available video guides are more demonstrative and less instructional, our goal is easing the perfunctory dissection burden by describing dissection techniques and characteristic structures so critical dissection of historically difficult‐to‐identify structures can be carried out more quickly with less dissection damage. It is hypothesized that these LSU‐specific videos will be of greater aid to students in identifying structures than guides already in existence or than written text alone. To test this hypothesis, the class will be divided into 3 groups: written dissector only, traditional anatomy video specifically Acland's Video Atlas of Human Anatomy, and LSU video dissection guide. Accuracy of structure identification will be assessed by a simple questionnaire administered to all 3 groups. Either the students will identify a given structure or it will be located by the faculty if they cannot. Also, video group assignation will be compared to gross anatomy practical exam scores for each dissection block. It is hypothesized that assignment to the LSU video dissection guide will result in higher practical exam scores than either traditional anatomy video or written dissector alone. Source of Support: Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Louisiana State University Health Sciences New Orleans, LA