Evaluation of Medical Student's Learning of Anatomical Subjects by Using a Compound Method and in Comparison with Traditional Method

Purpose: This study aimed to compare a new compound method and speech method (as the traditional method) in teaching anatomy.Materials and Methods: In this study, practical anatomy sessions are presented in two different methods. In the first method, based on traditional approach educational materials were shown on the cadaver, anatomical models, or bone. In the second method, each teaching session was divided into several parts and the student was asked to find educational materials on cadaver, anatomical model and bone simultaneously. The student was asked to watch and report educational films in the same session and to make an anatomical model during the semester by himself a well. At last, students scored on the basis of the two methods.Results: Among one year students, the mean scores of students’ for the two methods of traditional (17.27±2.8) and compound (14.19±3.1) methods were significantly different whereas among twoyear medical students, no significant difference was obtained between mean scores of students for the two methods. Among third, fourth, fifth-year medical students, the mean scores of the compound method was significantly higher than the those of traditional method. The mean scores of five-year students for the traditional method decreased significantly (p£0.01). This difference was also observed among three and four-year students. However, this difference among three and four year students was smaller (p£0.05).Conclusion: The results obtained that although compound method takes a longer time, it is more effective than the other method in teaching students, in particular, among students having longer period of learning experience.