Anatomy correlations: introducing clinical skills to improve performance in anatomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Gross anatomy is one of the preclinical cornerstones of medical education, but many practitioners feel that medical students' knowledge of anatomy is inadequate. To help students understand the clinical relevance of anatomy studies, Ohio State University faculty developed a course called "Anatomy Correlations." This course introduces students to basic physical examination techniques correlated to gross anatomy dissections and allows them to practice techniques learned. METHODS Anatomy grades prior to the introduction of the course were compared with anatomy grades after the introduction of the course to see if the course improved knowledge of gross anatomy. Analysis controlled for initial differences in academic aptitude. RESULTS Students taking the course in its new form scored higher in anatomy than did students taking anatomy before the course was offered. CONCLUSION Introducing physical examination skills that correlate with anatomy studies can lead to improvement in anatomy scores.