Evaluating the effectiveness of radiological anatomy course in a module of undergraduate medical curriculum

TL;DR

Teaching anatomy using radiological images in medical school improves student performance and engagement compared to traditional methods.

Contribution

This study demonstrates that integrating radiological anatomy into teaching improves learning outcomes in undergraduate medical education.

Findings

The experimental group had significantly higher post-test scores in Abdomen and Pelvis modules.

Students in the experimental group reported higher engagement and satisfaction.

MCQ assessments showed acceptable reliability and discrimination.

Abstract

To evaluate the effectiveness of a Radiological Anatomy Module in the undergraduate MBBS curriculum

An experimental pre- and post-test study was conducted over a ten weeks period, from September 23, 2024 to December 2, 2024, at the University College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Lahore. A total of 144 second year MBBS students were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. Both groups received equal teaching hours and were taught by the same trained facilitators using identical instructional methods-lectures, small group discussions, applied clinical scenarios and dissection. In addition, the experimental group was taught how to identify anatomical structures on radiological images, which were integrated into all teaching sessions. Assessments comprised 30 MCQs per module, validated by subject experts and subjected to item analysis. Student feedback was gathered through a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with paired and independent t-tests applied (p < 0.05).

The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher post-test scores compared to the control group in both the Abdomen (20.5 ± 1.12 vs. 14.05 ± 1.53; p < 0.001) and Pelvis modules (23.7 ± 2.39 vs. 13.8 ± 1.42; p < 0.001), as determined by independent-sample t-tests. Item analysis confirmed that MCQs were of appropriate difficulty and discrimination, with acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.61 for Abdomen, 0.59 for Pelvis). Feedback responses also indicated greater engagement, motivation and overall satisfaction among the experimental group (p < 0.001).

Teaching abdominal and pelvic anatomy through the lens of radiology significantly improves understanding, reinforces clinical relevance and enhances student engagement.