Retrieval Practice for Improving Long-Term Retention in Anatomical Education: A Quasi-Experimental Study

It is generally assumed by students that learning takes place during repeated episodes of rereading and rote memorization of course materials. Over the past few decades, however, research has increasingly indicated that the said notion can and should be enhanced with learning paradigms such as retrieval practice (RP). RP occurs when students practice retrieving their consolidated semantic memories by informally testing themselves. This strategy results in the re-encoding and re-consolidation of existing semantic memories, thus strengthening their schemas. The purpose of this quasi-experimental design was to assess the effects of the implementation of RP on student performance on the final exam in a large, undergraduate Gross Anatomy course. It was hypothesized that student participation in RP during class would improve their performance on the final exam in the course. The participants (N = 248) were mainly in Life Sciences, Kinesiology, and Physical Education programs. They answered RP questions using TopHat©, an online educational software platform. The results of this study indicated that student performance on the final exam was enhanced when students engaged in RP. It was concluded that the use of RP effectively enhances learning and long-term retention of semantic memory. In addition to the traditional testing ‘of’ learning, teachers are encouraged to implement testing, in the form of RP, in their classrooms ‘for’ learning.

The Impact of A Gross Anatomy Course on Medical Students’ Emotional Reactions in Taiwan: The Role of High-Level Emotions

Background A gross anatomy is an important course for medical students; however, seeing a cadaver often makes them feel uncomfortable. According to the broaden-and-build theory, the present study tried to reduce students’ negative emotions by sequential activities, such as interviews and ceremony, which induced gratitude and other positive emotions. Methods One hundred and five medical students in their third year filled Emotional Reactions Towards Cadavers Scale for three times in one semester, and paired-sample t-tests and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the changes of emotional reaction. Results Three-wave data showed that participants’ high-level emotions increased, negative emotions decreased, and the former simultaneously predicted the latter. Conclusions Combining dissection course with medical humanities helped students to successfully handle negative emotions during gross anatomy course.

Posterior superior alveolar nerves contribute to sensation in the anterior teeth

There is no available data on the occurrence rate of a converged alveolar canal, the detailed three-dimensional (3D) courses of alveolar canals/grooves (ACGs), or the contribution of each superior alveolar nerve to each area in the maxilla. This study aimed to clarify the 3D courses of ACGs, the relationship between ACGs and superior alveolar nerves, and the contribution of posterior superior alveolar nerves (PSANs) using computed tomography (CT) with histological analysis. During the gross anatomy course at Niigata University, we investigated nine human cadavers. All anterior and posterior ACGs converged into the common alveolar canal, which contained blood vessels and several nerve bundles surrounded by perineurium, located at the nasal floor near the pyriform aperture. Histometrical analysis clarified that 16.3% of the nerve bundles in this canal were derived from PSANs, and 67% of the bundles were dispersed while they coursed down to the nasal floor. There seems to be no relationship between the density of nerve bundles in the canal and the number of remaining anterior teeth. Data obtained from observing the detailed 3D courses of anterior and posterior ACGs, and their relationship with superior alveolar nerves, suggests that PSANs partially contribute to the nociception of the anterior teeth.