Clinical neuroanatomy module 5 years’ experience at the School of Medicine of Padova

Macroscopic anatomy of the brain is scheduled during the last meeting of the Short Course of Dissection, an optional course for second-year medical students at the School of Medicine of Padova, following the official 44 h of lectures of Neuroanatomy. The aim of the present study was to ascertain the value of brain dissection in retention of neuroanatomical knowledge by medical students. An anatomical questionnaire was given to second-year students in the years 2002–2006, aiming at evaluating their initial neuroanatomical background. Administered twice, at the beginning and end of the last meeting of the optional course, the questionnaire consisted of three diagrams, showing the base, the convexity of the brain, and an axial section of the cerebrum. For each diagram, ten anatomical structures were selected, according to their clinical importance. Students then followed a worksheet for external examination of the brain and cutting. The teacher presented three examples of pathologies causing elevated intracranial pressure, and indicated their locations on the relative cerebral structures. At the end of the meeting, the same questionnaire was given again. To evaluate long-term retention of information, it was also given to third-year students. The questionnaire revealed improved knowledge of neuroanatomy in a mean of 57% of students, especially as regards the axial section (72%), with respect to that of the brain base (43%) and convexity (40%). After 1 year, long-term assessment of information retention showed that 65% of the group which had followed the dissection course correctly answered with respect to the control group (40%), and even better (87.5%) as regards anatomical details presented in their clinical aspects. The main guidelines in planning the clinical neuroanatomy module were: (1) selection of anatomical landmarks of importance from the clinical viewpoint; (2) identification of pathologies which involve the above anatomical landmarks; (3) relationships between morphology and pathology enhancing anatomo-clinical importance.