Evaluation of clinical relevance of problem-oriented teaching in undergraduate anatomy at the University of Pretoria.

Problem oriented medical curricula claim to be based on the fact that the clinical sciences facilitate and encourage the understanding of basic sciences. The question was asked whether the correlation of gross anatomy in the Abdomen Block in the new Pretoria medical curriculum, with clinically relevant content (i.e. relevant physical examination, imaging anatomy, clinical procedures, clinical presentations and clinical case studies) facilitates the understanding of human anatomy and enhances the development of the clinical thinking fundamental to clinical practice. The clinical anatomy component of the Abdomen Block (11 weeks duration) in the third year was developed by using standardized patients, cadaver material, skeletons, X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and multimedia programs. Student perceptions were assessed by a Likert scale questionnaire. Most students thought that integrating the physical examination enhanced their understanding of the relevant anatomy (mean 3.55). A substantial number of students thought the clinical anatomy in the block laid a good foundation for imaging anatomy of the abdomen (mean 3.41). The majority of students thought the clinical anatomy laid a good basis for the understanding of surgical procedures relevant to the abdomen (mean 3.63). Students were mostly confident that clinical anatomy enhanced their understanding of clinical presentations (mean 3.68). Although slightly fewer, the majority reckoned that the clinical case studies gave them a better understanding of the relevant anatomy (mean 3.30). It seems evident that the integration of clinically relevant content facilitates and encourages the understanding of anatomy and thus aids in the development of clinical thinking.