The Development of Instructional, Interactive, Multi-media Anatomy Dissection Software

Matthew Inwood & Jamil Ahmad

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

ABSTRACT:

Cadaver dissection is the traditional means of helping students to grasp the 3-dimensional aspects of human anatomy, but is expensive, time consuming and logistically complex. Accordingly, it is in the interests of both student and institution that it be conducted as effectively as possible.

Students at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) attend two 3 hour dissection classes each week, during their first fifteen months of undergraduate study. In addition to written and multiple choice exams, academic progress is assessed in exams at which students may be required to demonstrate their knowledge of anatomy on a cadaver. In April 2001, instructional, interactive, multimedia anatomy dissection software was conceptualised and, over the following 18 months, produced entirely by two RCSI undergraduate medical students. The software comprises Web-based or CD-ROM-based narrated videos, text, illustrations, and still photographs to accompany each of the 72 dissection classes attended by undergraduate medical students at RCSI. The software was produced at minimal expense, using applications that came bundled with an Apple iBook, provided by the College as part of the tuition package. A complete dissection was filmed using a digital video camera. The video was edited and converted to QuickTime MPEG movies using Apple's iMovie. Macromedia Director 7.0 (educational edition) was employed to create CD-ROMs with stand-alone, interactive presentation platforms for each movie and its associated text, illustrations and still photographs. The software runs directly from CD-ROM and does not require any applications or hardware additions to be installed on the student's computer.

The aim of the software is to introduce students to what they are expected to do in a forthcoming class, and to increase their proficiency, comfort, and efficiency in both the dissection room and the examinations. This is achieved through providing students with instructional, interactive, narrated MPEG movies that precisely illustrate and explain the specific dissection for each class. The quality of dissection is not that of a professional preparation as one would view in an anatomical atlas. Rather, it takes into consideration student's time constraints and skills, and presents the dissection in a manner commensurate with the student experience.

The software is provided to students free of charge. It may be viewed on computers in the College library or Computer Aided Learning Laboratory. Moreover, students may obtain the software from the library or College Web-site and download it to their laptops. Students may use the software before each dissection class, or they may bring their laptops into the dissection room and use the software for guidance. In addition to its original intended use, the software could be used in institutions that experience cadaver shortages, and by those that do not use dissections or cadaver-based teaching.

Acknowledgements:

Mr. Eric Clarke and Prof. W. Stanley Monkhouse, Department of Medical Informatics, RCSI; & Prof. T. Clive Lee, Department of Anatomy, RCSI.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:

¨ See the contribution of motion video to the student’s comprehension of the 3-dimensional nature of human anatomy.

¨ See the manner in which tailor-made software can augment traditional learning.

¨ Identify a means of encouraging the development and implementation of user-defined, technology-aided, instructional software.

¨ Recognise the value and potential of software that can be produced by novice programmers at minimal cost.

¨ Realise the benefits of familiarising medical students with computer use.

Matthew Inwood

158 Northumberlands

Love Lane

Dublin 2

Ireland

Phone: +353.85.725.7186

Email: mailto:minwood@rcsi.ie

CO-AUTHORS:

Jamil Ahmad

Phone: +353.86.867.7707

Email: mailto:jahmad@rcsi.ie