Innovative Journal of Medical and Health Science 4 : 2 March – April (2014) 62 - 63. Contents lists available at www.innovativejournal.in INNOVATIVE JOURNAL OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCE Journal homepage: http://www.innovativejournal.in/index.php/ijmhs 62 STUDENTS FEEDBACK ON THE UTILITY OF GROSS ANATOMY MANUAL IN LEARNING ANATOMY Archana Rani*, Anita Rani, Jyoti Chopra, R K Diwan, AK Pankaj, RK Verma, Garima Sehgal Department of Anatomy, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow-226003, Uttar Pradesh, India. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Corresponding Author: Archana Rani, Department of Anatomy, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow-226003, Uttar Pradesh, India. archana71gupta@yahoo.co.in Key words: Gross anatomy manual, learning, drawing, assessment Objective: Gross anatomy manual is a mandatory activity in most of the medical schools in India as well as abroad. As large part of anatomy is the spatial relationship between various parts of human body, drawing can be very useful tool in learning complex anatomical facts or relation. This will help in integrating the knowledge more effectively and also reinforcing information and performing better during their examinations. In our department, diagrams drawn in gross anatomy manual are evaluated and marks scored in it make an essential component of formative assessment of the students. Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted involving 236 first year MBBS students, to know how the students perceive the role of gross anatomy manual in their study. Results: Analysis of the results depicted that 71.61% of students accepted that drawing diagrams help them in understanding the spatial relationship of anatomical facts while 28.39% of students were of opinion that it is a useless activity. Few students also suggested some other possibilities to improve existing trend. Conclusion: The study concludes that maximum numbers of students were in favor of drawing the gross anatomy manual as it helps in better understanding of the subject. ©2014, IJMHS, All Right Reserved INTRODUCTION Learning science requires students to develop representational skills by sketching. Research consistently shows that drawing, as a means of investigating what children know, has ‘the potential to modify the dominant view of verbal knowledge as the primary representation of what average people know, and ultimately to advance knowledge of the role visual memory plays in human understandings of the world in which we live’ (1). Gross anatomy manual is a mandatory activity in most of the medical schools in India as well as abroad. As large part of anatomy is the spatial relationship between various parts of human body, drawing can be very useful tool in learning complex anatomical facts or relations. The objective behind initiating this activity was that students will observe the particular area carefully and then will reproduce the 2D image of the same. This will help in integrating the knowledge more effectively and also reinforcing information and performing better during their examinations. In our department, diagrams drawn in gross anatomy manual are evaluated and marks scored in it make an essential component of formative assessment of the students. MATERIAL & METHODS A questionnaire based study was done on 236 first year MBBS students of King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India to know how the students perceive the role of gross anatomy manual in their study. A verbal consent was taken from the students. This study was carried out after the end of professional exam of the academic year 2011-12 so that they were free to give their suggestions. Students were asked to fill the questionnaire containing semi-structured questions and also to give their opinion regarding the utility of gross anatomy manual in learning anatomy. RESULTS 71.61% of students accepted that drawing diagrams help them in understanding the spatial relationship of anatomical facts. 28.39% of students were of opinion that it is a useless activity. The positive feedback given by the students were that it helps in better understanding of structures, helps in practicing the diagrams, collection from different sources, therefore also assist in last minute preparation or revision of diagrams and therefore useful in reproducing diagrams in exams. The negative feedback as quoted by some students were that it is an useless activity, complete waste of time, tedious task, very wide or too many diagrams, less time to draw or takes much time to draw, compulsive activity as it is done under pressure overnight prior to part-viva and they mostly copy diagrams from senior’s manual .