117 - MARMU and More: Understanding the Impact Anatomy Mnemonics Sheets Have on First-year Medical Students

Poster Board Number: 117
There are separate poster presentation times for odd and even posters.
Odd poster #s – first hour
Even poster #s – second hour

Co-authors:

Keith Bishop, Ph.D. - Associate Professor, Medical Education, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Abstract Body : Mnemonics are learning tools that create connections between new information and existing mental cues. Anatomy mnemonics are widely embraced in medical education as they increase comprehension and retention in a setting that rapidly introduces extensive material. In 2020, Journal of Korean Medical Science highlighted the use of a regional anatomy book with schematics and mnemonics that increased anatomy test scores across written and tagged examinations. Moreover, Medical Education Online showcased how mnemonics were effective in enhancing the skill of differential diagnosis.



At Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), first year medical students in the Anatomy Histology and Embryology (AHE) block have shown notable use of mnemonics. Previously, this relied on students personally acquiring mnemonics since no faculty or published mnemonics were provided. The students’ interest in obtaining mnemonic resources led to the development of a sheet of mnemonics that were, curated to the specific needs of the course, and validated by faculty. The sheets were laminated and issued in the dissection lab as well as an online version. The purpose of this project was to understand the impact standardized mnemonic resources can have on the students’ educational and mental wellness in the AHE block.



Surveys from previous cohorts, insights from faculty, and other institutions determined the most favored mnemonics. Each unit’s mnemonic sheets included the mnemonic itself, a rationale, and an overall description. E.g., MARMU is the mnemonic, the description is an acronym for the terminal branches of the brachial plexus, and the rationale is M-Musculocutaneous, A-Axillary, R-Radial, M-Median, U-Ulnar nerves.



A Pre-quiz made of anatomy questions relevant to the mnemonics page content was taken by students early in each unit. A post quiz on similar content was taken just prior to each of the three exams. Upon completion of the entire block, a comprehensive survey gauged student utilization, satisfaction, and impact.



Quantitative pre and post quiz data were not observed to be statistically significant, most likely due to the small number of questions on each quiz. Qualitative data obtained from 67 post block survey responses highlighted prominent utilization (95.6%), high rate of satisfaction (98.5%), and positive impact on reducing or lessening the student’s levels of anxiety (77.6%) with regards to the course.



Overall, the implementation of this project allowed us to provide a concise, accessible and reliable resource that students could turn to for helpful learning tools, gaining confidence, and clarification in different study settings.



The TTUHSC AHE block directors plan to continue utilizing this resource and further evolving it for use during the 2024 academic year.