SHOULD PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAMS HAVE A CADAVER LAB FOR TEACHING ANATOMY?

T. Ruediger¹, E. Ball¹, H. Sheets¹, B. Singh¹

¹Manchester University, Physical Therapy, Fort Wayne, United States

Background: Anatomy education has been the cornerstone of medical and allied healthcare educational programs, including physical therapy. A few traditional pedagogies and modern-day methods are implemented globally for anatomy education in physical therapy programs. However, a review of the available literature is required to build consensus among the global PT academic fraternity.

Purpose: Our study aims to 1) explore the different methods for teaching anatomy in physical therapy educational programs globally and 2) suggest the most appropriate and accepted methods for teaching anatomy in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs in the United States.

Methods: Two authors identified a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. A thorough search of databases of Researchgate, PubMed, PEDro, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Academy of Education, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Reviews was performed using the relevant search terms. Subsequently, fifteen studies were shortlisted for review. Appropriate databases were created, and data were analyzed for themes, results (percentages), and conclusions.

Results: Didactic anatomy is predominantly taught using lectures/theory classes (80%). The lab component of anatomy is conducted using dissection (87%), prosection (73%), some technology (67%), anatomical/plastinated models (47%), bones, and skeletons (33%), and living/surface anatomy (33%). All the studies (100%) reported using these methods in several combinations. A few experimental studies combined innovative approaches with proven traditional teaching methods to explore student outcomes.

Conclusions: Cadaver dissection and prosection are globally favored individual teaching methods for anatomy labs. Ongoing research and advancing technologies pave the way for various cost and time-effective anatomy pedagogies, including model-based, technology-based, collaborative, and other experimental teaching approaches. DPT programs implement a combination of these equally effective methods. Modern-day pedagogies shall be incorporated and utilized to bolster the efforts of traditional pedagogies in anatomy teaching for optimal student outcomes.

Implications: A scientific review of the available literature summarizes all the proven and experimental anatomy teaching approaches for physical therapy programs globally. And subsequently guide the DPT programs to select the best approaches consistent with their program objectives and resource availability.

Funding acknowledgements: No funding required.

Keywords:
Anatomy
Pedagogies
Cadaver

Topics:
Education: methods of teaching & learning
Education
Professional issues

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Reason: Exempt from Ethics committee as a review paper