Role of Clinical Anatomy in First MBBS Curriculum

Anatomy is considered as a major subject not only in the preclinical years but also in the clinical years. Even in post graduate studies of surgical faculties, it is very helpful to revise the knowledge of gross anatomy as it provides visual positive corroboration in the learning process [1]. Dissection of cadavers is certainly the best mode of learning gross anatomy and it has played an important role, right from the time of Vesalius in 1538 up to the latest edition of Gray’s Anatomy. Nowadays owing to newer teaching modalities as well as reduction in curriculum time allotted to anatomy worldwide, there is an increasing call for clinical application in the teaching and learning of Anatomy [2]. It is a worldwide common belief that anatomy must be taught and learnt in such a way that it becomes clinically meaningful and is linked to the proficiency mandatory for new medical graduates. Hence problem based learning has been initiated for preclinical students of Anatomy which will augment the integration of basic and clinical sciences. Another way to facilitate clinical anatomy instructions is to have regional anatomy taught by both anatomists as well as by clinicians [3].