EDITORIALS ANZJSurg.com
Anatomy, medical education and surgeons This issue of the journal is largely dedicated to the theme of teaching anatomy with a focus on its relevance to the surgeons of tomorrow. For many medical students, entry into the dissection room heralds their first exposure to the dead and begins their differentiation from laymen to medical professionals. They are initiated to related ethical issues, including confidentiality and respecting the bodies that have been donated to make their experience possible. The process of dissection affords an opportunity to appreciate structures in three dimensional, to learn about anatomic variation and to ponder the mysteries of human form and function.1 A consequence of the move to Graduate Medical Education has been a decrease in the anatomy content in the modern medical curriculum, welcomed by some and criticized by others.2 Concern has been expressed about the opinionated nature of much of the debate and need for clear objective data to dispassionately work through the issue, recognizing that some medical practitioners, notably surgeons and radiologists, will need more anatomy and basic science than others to practise safely. In a review of the literature in 2007, Winkelmann concluded that more educational research was necessary to counterbalance emotional arguments about the need or otherwise for dissection opining that anatomic knowledge is too important to future doctors to leave its teaching to the educational fashion of the day.3 Surveys of recently graduated doctors4 and senior clinicians5 in the United Kingdom have reached similar conclusions that the current anatomical education for medical students was inadequate and below the minimum necessary for safe medical practice with widespread support among the clinicians surveyed for more vertical integration of anatomy teaching throughout the curriculum. Turney has addressed some of the key questions in determining the place of anatomy in a modern medical curriculum: When should anatomy be taught? How much anatomy should be taught? How should anatomy be taught?6 Educational modalities that complement dissection include the use of prosected specimens, computer-based anatomic, computed tomographic and magnetic resonance images to help the student integrate their acquisition of anatomic knowledge into practical clinical application. This can be extended to include the endoscopic display of anatomy in joints, body cavities and bronchial tree. The dilemma for those considering the future needs of the surgical profession is that as anatomy content is decreased to accommodate the other learning demands on medical students’ time, the facilities for and teachers of anatomy in the traditional universities are ageing and in many cases have not been replenished. In the younger medical schools providing a postgraduate medical degree, the resources and
© 2014 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
staff for anatomy are limited and deliberately so. Where will those who need a detailed knowledge of anatomy learn it in the future? Who will be the guardian of this important societal resource? Older, in considering the needs for the next generation, expresses grave concern that the reduction in undergraduate teaching and knowledge has set up a system that will result in young men and women with a poor knowledge of anatomy becoming surgeons. He demands a full public debate at every level involving Royal Colleges, specialist associations, training boards, universities and government (health and education). He advocates exploring the problem in depth and defining a minimal core curriculum for anatomy nationally.7 Professor George-Ramsey Stewart is the newly appointed Specialty Editor for Surgical Anatomy. He has compiled the papers in this issue partially in response to the call by medical students for national standards in anatomical education. Surgeons of the future need an education in basic medical science including anatomy.8 How this is best achieved in the reality of the reduced anatomy content of the modern medical curriculum is an important and urgent debate in which the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons must be a key contributor.
References 1. McLauchlan JC, Patten D. Anatomic teaching: ghosts of the past, present and future. Med. Educ. 2006; 40: 243–53. 2. Bokey L, Chapuis PH, Dent OF. Problem-based learning in medical education: one of many learning paradigms. Med. J. Aust. 2014; 201: 134–6. 3. Winkelmann K. Anatomical dissection as a teaching method in medical school: a review of the evidence. Med. Educ. 2007; 41: 15–22. 4. Fitzgerald JES, White MJ, Tang SW, Maxwell-Armstrong CA, James DK. Are we teaching sufficient anatomy at medical school? The opinions of newly qualified doctors. Clin. Anat. 2008; 21: 718–24. 5. Waterston SW, Stewart IJ. Survey of clinicians’ attitudes to the anatomical teaching and knowledge of medical students. Clin. Anat. 2005; 18: 380–4. 6. Turney BW. Anatomy and the modern medical curriculum. Ann. R. Coll. Surg. Engl. 2007; 89: 104–7. 7. Older J. Anatomy: a must for teaching the next generation. Surgeon 2004; 2: 79–90. 8. Sugand K, Abrahams P, Khurana A. Anatomy of anatomy: a review for its modernization. Anat. Sci. Educ. 2010; 3: 83–93.
John P. Harris, AM, FRACS, FRCS, FACS Editor-in-Chief doi: 10.1111/ans.12842
ANZ J Surg 84 (2014) 799–801
Copyright of ANZ Journal of Surgery is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Anatomy, medical education and surgeons This issue of the journal is largely dedicated to the theme of teaching anatomy with a focus on its relevance to the surgeons of tomorrow. For many medical students, entry into the dissection room heralds their first exposure to the dead and begins their differentiation from laymen to medical professionals. They are initiated to related ethical issues, including confidentiality and respecting the bodies that have been donated to make their experience possible. The process of dissection affords an opportunity to appreciate structures in three dimensional, to learn about anatomic variation and to ponder the mysteries of human form and function.1 A consequence of the move to Graduate Medical Education has been a decrease in the anatomy content in the modern medical curriculum, welcomed by some and criticized by others.2 Concern has been expressed about the opinionated nature of much of the debate and need for clear objective data to dispassionately work through the issue, recognizing that some medical practitioners, notably surgeons and radiologists, will need more anatomy and basic science than others to practise safely. In a review of the literature in 2007, Winkelmann concluded that more educational research was necessary to counterbalance emotional arguments about the need or otherwise for dissection opining that anatomic knowledge is too important to future doctors to leave its teaching to the educational fashion of the day.3 Surveys of recently graduated doctors4 and senior clinicians5 in the United Kingdom have reached similar conclusions that the current anatomical education for medical students was inadequate and below the minimum necessary for safe medical practice with widespread support among the clinicians surveyed for more vertical integration of anatomy teaching throughout the curriculum. Turney has addressed some of the key questions in determining the place of anatomy in a modern medical curriculum: When should anatomy be taught? How much anatomy should be taught? How should anatomy be taught?6 Educational modalities that complement dissection include the use of prosected specimens, computer-based anatomic, computed tomographic and magnetic resonance images to help the student integrate their acquisition of anatomic knowledge into practical clinical application. This can be extended to include the endoscopic display of anatomy in joints, body cavities and bronchial tree. The dilemma for those considering the future needs of the surgical profession is that as anatomy content is decreased to accommodate the other learning demands on medical students’ time, the facilities for and teachers of anatomy in the traditional universities are ageing and in many cases have not been replenished. In the younger medical schools providing a postgraduate medical degree, the resources and
© 2014 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
staff for anatomy are limited and deliberately so. Where will those who need a detailed knowledge of anatomy learn it in the future? Who will be the guardian of this important societal resource? Older, in considering the needs for the next generation, expresses grave concern that the reduction in undergraduate teaching and knowledge has set up a system that will result in young men and women with a poor knowledge of anatomy becoming surgeons. He demands a full public debate at every level involving Royal Colleges, specialist associations, training boards, universities and government (health and education). He advocates exploring the problem in depth and defining a minimal core curriculum for anatomy nationally.7 Professor George-Ramsey Stewart is the newly appointed Specialty Editor for Surgical Anatomy. He has compiled the papers in this issue partially in response to the call by medical students for national standards in anatomical education. Surgeons of the future need an education in basic medical science including anatomy.8 How this is best achieved in the reality of the reduced anatomy content of the modern medical curriculum is an important and urgent debate in which the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons must be a key contributor.
References 1. McLauchlan JC, Patten D. Anatomic teaching: ghosts of the past, present and future. Med. Educ. 2006; 40: 243–53. 2. Bokey L, Chapuis PH, Dent OF. Problem-based learning in medical education: one of many learning paradigms. Med. J. Aust. 2014; 201: 134–6. 3. Winkelmann K. Anatomical dissection as a teaching method in medical school: a review of the evidence. Med. Educ. 2007; 41: 15–22. 4. Fitzgerald JES, White MJ, Tang SW, Maxwell-Armstrong CA, James DK. Are we teaching sufficient anatomy at medical school? The opinions of newly qualified doctors. Clin. Anat. 2008; 21: 718–24. 5. Waterston SW, Stewart IJ. Survey of clinicians’ attitudes to the anatomical teaching and knowledge of medical students. Clin. Anat. 2005; 18: 380–4. 6. Turney BW. Anatomy and the modern medical curriculum. Ann. R. Coll. Surg. Engl. 2007; 89: 104–7. 7. Older J. Anatomy: a must for teaching the next generation. Surgeon 2004; 2: 79–90. 8. Sugand K, Abrahams P, Khurana A. Anatomy of anatomy: a review for its modernization. Anat. Sci. Educ. 2010; 3: 83–93.
John P. Harris, AM, FRACS, FRCS, FACS Editor-in-Chief doi: 10.1111/ans.12842
ANZ J Surg 84 (2014) 799–801
Copyright of ANZ Journal of Surgery is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
