96 - Who Is Teaching Anatomy? A National Investigation

Poster Board Number: 96
There are separate poster presentation times for odd and even posters.
Odd poster #s – first hour
Even poster #s – second hour

Co-authors:

Claudia Mosley - The Ohio State University; Joanne Vakil - The Ohio State University; Carson Lambert - The Ohio State University; Dustin Savelli - The Ohio State University; Joy Balta - Point Loma University

Abstract Body : INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Anatomy teachers are in demand and the supply of new US anatomy PhD graduates is low. Given that these graduates often fill anatomy teaching roles, it’s unclear who is teaching anatomy and what characteristics they share. The purpose of this study was to delineate the attributes and responsibilities of US anatomy teachers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was sent to 1764 anatomy teachers in the US after review of their AAA, AACA, or HAPS membership profiles. The 23-question survey included categorical and sliding analog scale items. Content validity evidence was provided via expert review from eight US anatomy faculty members. RESULTS: Thirty-eight percent (667 of 1764) of invitees responded to the survey, though only 37% (654 of 1764) met the inclusion criteria. On average (SD), respondents had taught anatomy for 18 (13) years. Most respondents (70%; 460 of 654) held a professorship rank and 82% of professors (379 of 460) taught at the graduate/professional level. Thirty-one percent (200 of 654) of respondents had an anatomy doctoral degree while 37% (245 of 654) had a non-anatomy doctoral degree. Most respondents (56%; 364 of 654) had graduate training in less than 3 traditional subdisciplines and 23% (153 of 464) of respondents who taught at least 1 traditional subdiscipline did so without comparable graduate training. There was a significant association between level taught and discipline taught without graduate training (x² = 11.56, p < 0.01). On average, professors reported having an assigned time effort of 58% teaching, 16% research, and 10% service (with 16% spread among administrative work, clinical work, continuing education, mentoring, and other) and an actual time effort of 56% teaching, 13% research, and 10% service. This resulted in a significantly different median difference for both teaching (W = 29,366.50, p = .03) and research (W = 23,371.00, p < .01). Significant differences existed amidst full, associate, and assistant professors in assigned (H = 20.18, p < .01) and actual (H = 22.66, p < .01) teaching as well as assigned (H = 6.60, p = .04) and actual (H = 9.22 p = .01) service time effort. Assistant professors reported a higher percentage of assigned and actual time effort dedicated to teaching while associate professors reported a higher percentage of assigned and actual time effort dedicated to service. CONCLUSION: Training and responsibilities of US anatomy teachers varies, particularly among professors. SIGNIFICANCE/IMPLICATIONS: Assistant professors appear to carry a relatively larger teaching load compared to associate and full professors and emerging anatomy teachers should prepare to do likewise. Future anatomy teachers would do well to consider at which level they wish to teach, as this appears to determine necessary training.