Integrating Multimedia CDROMS Into the Teaching of Clinical Anatomy

Peter H. Abrahams, R. Jordan, C.V. Rao, R. Ambrose

Anatomical Sciences, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada

Radiology, St. Vincent, West Indies

Abstract:

We are integrating dissection room anatomy teaching with the learning of relevant radiological images and clincal scenarios to reinforce anatomical understanding. Recently this has been made more powerful by the introduction of personal student-affordable CDROMs which also run on our expanding campus intranet. This process has been encouraged by the AACA document in Clin. Anat. 9:71-99,1996 which listed the images and clinical conditions for undergraduate medical education. A recent paper in The Anatomical Record 253, 6,1998 by Fitzharris reinforces our experience that both computer learning and digital radiology are successful additions to the clinical understanding of the human body. We will present how direct laptop teaching during both lectures and dissections coupled with weekly student floppy disc files on the computer network or their personal CDROMs, enables our students to integrate radiology with Anatomy as well as the Pathophysiology course. The same CDROM databases have all modalities e.g. Contrast, MR., CT, U/S, DSA etc. as well as numerous video sequences and clinical cases. An added advantage of this system is an immediate student access to review files and that they can use these same databases in four different countries. Easily transportable as a few CDROMs, the files can also be accessed via the WWW for recent updates. More recent additions at SGUSOM to the teaching include multimedia demonstrations during the dissection sessions, integration with the neuroscience course and trials have already been carried out examining students using this system-all of which will be demonstrated. Acknowledgment to Weir et al Imaging Atlas Of Human Anatomy 2nd Ed.1997 and McMinn's Interactive Clinical Anatomy - Mosby Multimedia / Harcourt Brace St. Louis.

Benefit in Attending Session:

• Useful for anatomists
• Integrated teaching of radiologists or clinicians using multimedia
• Use of student files is big timesaver for teachers as files include images, video, sound etc., not only text files as will be shown in the demo/lecture

PRIMARY AUTHOR'S INFORMATION

Peter Abrahams

Girton College, Wolfson Court, Clarkson Rd, Cambridge CB3 OEH UK.

Telephone Number: 07703 498 553--/ 01223 339331-UK

Fax Number: 01223 327 292 - UK

E-mail Address: pha1000@cus.cam.ac.uk

CO-AUTHORS' INFORMATION

Jordan, Rao Ambrose

Anatomy dept - True Blue Campus

St Georges University

Grenada

West Indies

Telephone Number(s): 001 473 444 3061

Fax Number(s): 001 473 444 2887