ECE AS A NOVEL TEACHING-LEARNING METHOD IN CURRICULUM OF ANATOMY

Introduction: Anatomy is one of the basic science disciplines in the medical undergraduate curriculum and forms the foundation for the training of future doctors. It not only involves a vast curriculum but for some students it is a complex and dry subject. To make it interesting, a lot of educators are of the opinion that knowledge of Anatomy should be acquired in a situation resembling those in which it will be applied. MCI (Medical Council of India) in its ‘VISION 2015’, has introduced a restructured curriculum and training program for undergraduate teaching with emphasis on early clinical exposure, integration of basic and clinical sciences, clinical competence and skills and new teaching learning methodologies. This according to MCI, will lead to a new generation of medical graduates of global standards. In the present setup, in the undergraduate curriculum, students are exposed to clinical subjects only during the second year. However, it has been observed that students find it difficult to recollect essential basic concepts during clinical postings. To improve this scenario, it has become necessary to introduce the students to clinical problems within the first undergraduate year itself, as advocated by the MCI. As medical education continues to advance, it is the endeavour of educators as well as MCI, to attempt to prepare students for their professional lives. ECE will help students to develop a professional identity, increase motivation to learn, ensure well integrated knowledge of the basic sciences so as to retain knowledge better and even consider career options earlier. ECE also promotes self-directed learning and analytical skills in students. Conclusion: ECE is a useful method for a basic science like anatomy if it is taken up with the traditional teaching method. Anatomy will be better understood, retained and later practically applied, if learned in a clinically significant set-up.