149 - Efficacy of Plastinated Specimens in Anatomy Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Sunday, March 24, 2024
5:00pm – 7:00pm US EDT
Location: Sheraton Hall
Poster Board Number: 149
There are separate poster presentation times for odd and even posters.
Odd poster #s – first hour
Even poster #s – second hour
Co-authors:
Ramya Chandrasekaran - Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore; Julian Shu Kai Goh - Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
Assistant Professor, Head of Anatomy Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore
Abstract Body : Plastination, a novel preservation technique for human tissues and organs, has become an increasingly important resource in anatomy education. However, there is a paucity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses to provide a more comprehensive understanding of its efficacy for students' performance in anatomy. The study aimed to compare the students’ learning outcomes with plastinated specimens to those of other tools in anatomical education. A systematic search was conducted by two separate authors in the databases PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, covering the period from 2000 to July 2022. Eighteen publications that met the eligibility criteria were included, and Kirkpatrick's model was used to assess the extent of the outcomes. Among 18 studies, five articles reported post-intervention test scores for intervention (plastinated) and control (other modalities) were subjected to GRADE quality assessment, and four studies with moderate to high ratings were considered for meta-analysis using a random effect model. Overall, there were no significant differences between the weighted standardized mean difference (SMD) of the intervention (n=417) and control groups (n=422) (SMD 0.08; 95% CI [-0.36, 0.52]) (P=0.73). Most of the included studies were categorised as levels 1 and 2A by Kirkpatrick's hierarchy of outcomes. Thematic analysis of student perceptions revealed positive opinions towards plastinated tools, and their perceptions were classified into four distinct themes: ease of use and handling; motivation towards studying anatomy; spatial understanding and structure identification; and student learning preferences. While the student’s post-test outcomes are comparable between the plastinated and other tools, the analysis has limited studies, therefore interpret the data with caution. Nonetheless, this study could assist stakeholders who are considering introducing plastinated specimens into their anatomy courses. This could have implications for the resource's adaptability, innovative teaching strategies, funding allocation, and future research into the long-term impact of the plastinated specimens.