Supplemental musculoskeletal anatomy education in a shortened medical school curriculum

To address anatomy knowledge gaps exacerbated by the education constraints of a new shortened medical school curriculum and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group (OSIG) created a novel hybrid anatomy curriculum for students interested in orthopedic surgery. The main objectives were to determine (1) Does this elective supplement to the curriculum improve students' perceived confidence with regard to orthopedic anatomy? (2) What are the students' preferred formats for receiving this elective supplement to the curriculum? To determine this, we used a prospective study design to determine the impact of the OSIG's student-led hybrid anatomy sessions. A survey with a five-point Likert scale (1) Strongly disagree; (2) Disagree; (3) Neither agree nor disagree; (4) Agree; (5) Strongly agree; was used to quantify responses. Chi-squared tests, Fisher's exact tests and T-tests were used when appropriate. Our results show that participants without prior anatomy experience rated the course higher on average when compared with those with prior anatomy experience (4.27 vs. 3.67, respectively; p = 0.168). Most students (88.2%) prefer for anatomy sessions to be held more frequently and 76.4% enjoyed having virtual components. 82.4% of participants reported that this course improved their self-confidence regarding orthopedic anatomy, and 100% would recommend it to other students. Most students enjoyed the course and reported improved self-perceived anatomy knowledge after participating. Medical schools that have a shortened anatomy curriculum can consider using the present study as a model for an optional musculoskeletal anatomy supplement at their institution.