The Role of Anatomy Course in Clinical Education Stages from the medical students’ viewpoints in GUMS

Introduction: Always Anatomy course is considered as one of the most imporant courses in medical education. In recent years, teching anatomy underwent noticeable changes. In order to evaluating educational planning for the medical students, given the essential role of the anatomy course in medical education and the growing need of physicians for being up to date, this study aimed to assess the medical students’ viewpoints on the role of anatomy course on their clinical phase in Guilan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This  descriptive and cross-sectional study was done on 234 medical students in clinical phase through census method in 2016. Data were collected using a  researcher- made questionnaire contained demographic information questions and students’ opinion about the role of anatomy and some other factors in their learning during clinical ducation. Reliability and validity of questionnaires were assessed using Cronbach’s alfa test (a=0.896) and content validity index (CVI) (0.68), respectively. Data were analysed using Median, IQR and Friedman non- parametric test  through SPSS. Results: Results anounced that the anatomy of lymphatic system (p<0.001) and internal organs (p<0.001) were the most and the least importance in students’ learning during clinical education respectively. Other factors such as using more than one book as reference, professors’ strictness and performing group acivities were other important factors that sudents thought were helpful. According to students’ opinions using cadavers and moulages and also teaching clinical points in class consider as low important factors. Conclusion: Based on results, the importance of the anatomy of the lymphatic system and other important factors such as professors’ expertise and their teaching methods also performing group activities, showed that different topics of anatomical sciences alongside the professors' personal features and their methods both play pivotal role in memorizing topics and students’ learning during clinic.