PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY FIRST YEAR MBBS STUDENTS IN LEARNING MEDICAL ANATOMY AND SOME OF ITS SOLUTIONS- A FEEDBACK STUDY.

Abstract

The first year MBBS students as they walk into the medical colleges face multiple challenges in the first
few months of their course. The subject of medical Anatomy and its subdivisions forms a vast portion of
their overall curriculum in first year MBBS with maximum teaching hours. Students face disinterest, lack
of understanding, inability to recall andare many a times unable to cope up with the demand of this
subject. This study was undertaken to address the problems of students of 1st MBBS in learning Anatomy,
methods to rectify these problems and assessment methods and interval as preferred by students. The
objectives of the study were to detect the problems faced by students of MBBS first year in learning
Anatomy and view of students to proposed methods of rectification. Toanalyze the students view
regarding assessment methods and interval in Anatomy. A study was conducted on 132 MBBS
studentsstudying in Saveetha Medical College Chennai on completion of firstMBBS exams by means of
structured questionnaire distributed to them. Students were exposed to regular teaching methods as
suggested by Medical Council Of India Regulations in department of Anatomy and feedback of students
regarding problems faced in learning Anatomy and their views regarding proposed rectification methods
were obtained. The feedback of students on assessment methods and interval was also obtained. The
results were analyzed. Students faced problems in learning histology and this was because they were
unable to identify slides. They also faced problems in understanding embryology. The assessment
methods preferred by them was written test for theory at end of each region. To rectify their problems
they felt more active learning methods like quiz, students seminars, and more frequent revisions to be
integrated in the curriculum of Anatomy. This study thus evaluates the students’ opinion regarding
Anatomy and its subdivisions. Thus it calls for a better planning of the curriculum, assessment
techniques, revision schedule, etc to bring about a more effective and apprehensive teaching and
learning of Anatomy.