149 - Case-based Neuroanatomy and the Effects on First-year Medical Student Learning

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:

Mark Terrell - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine; Sarah McCarthy - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine; Raj Gulati - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine; Christopher Fonner - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine; Randy Kulesza - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Abstract Body : Knowledge gaps and neurophobia have been frequently reported by medical students and residents in the face of neuroanatomy. Indeed, this results in poor understanding and subsequent inability to apply knowledge to clinical scenarios. To address this deficiency, medical students’ perception and experience of neuroanatomy must be evaluated and improved. To this end, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of a text- or video-based patient case scenario in a self-directed learning environment on first-year medical students’ learning and retention of neuroanatomy. Additionally, the effects of content modality—recorded lecture vs a textbook-like resource—were evaluated. We hypothesized students learning neuroanatomy with a patient video case within a pre-recorded lecture would exhibit better academic performance and a more positive perception of the resource. First-year medical students at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine were recruited in 2022 and 2023 to participate in this mixed methods study (n=116). After completing a demographic questionnaire, participants were semi randomized into one of three treatment groups to complete an independent learning session regarding three major neural pathways. Content was matched across treatment groups, but the method of delivery differed. Two treatment groups received a text-based patient case, one in a textbook format and one in a lecture format, while the third group received a video-based patient case within a lecture. Learning was assessed via a 15-question multiple choice pre-, post-, and retention-test. Session-related items were extracted from Neuroanatomy course exams and compared. Lastly, participant perceptions were collected via an open-response survey. Analysis of the multiple choice quiz revealed significant improvement from pre- to post-test and from pre- to retention-test within all treatment groups. No difference was detected between groups at any individual timepoint, thereby failing to support our hypothesis. Similar trends were identified within identification, spatial, and clinical question subtypes. Items analyzed from two Neuroanatomy course exams revealed the text case pre-recorded lecture group chose significantly more correct answers compared to participants of the text case textbook group. Participants indicated positive perceptions of all three learning resources and generally found them to be helpful and well organized. Taken together, these findings suggest both text-and video-based patient cases in a lecture or textbook-like format support medical students’ learning of neuroanatomical topics. Additionally, text cases within a lecture may provide better support when compared to text cases in a textbook-like resource for knowledge application on Neuroanatomy exams.