European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 18 - Number 1
Eur J Anat, 18 (1): 49-54 (2014)

Teaching Clinical Anatomy: from general practice to state-of-the-art surgery

Jean H.D. Fasel1, Gilles Mentha2 and Jan De Maeseneer3

1Anatomy Sector, Department of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, University Medical Centre, Geneva, Switzerland, 2Department of Visceral Surgery, University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland and 3Department of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Gent University, Gent, Belgium

ABSTRACT The amount of time allocated to teaching gross anatomy within medical curricula has been drastically curtailed worldwide. There is thus a need for core syllabi detailing the level of knowledge all medical students should reach. Against this background, the present study was aimed at determining a compulsory core of anatomical knowledge relevant for non-specialised, i.e. general medical practice. The design of the study was a modified Delphi consensus approach â?? i.e., a survey relied on a panel of independent experts. 7 general practitioners of high professional profile were asked to identify, in an exhaustive list of the structures included in the current international anatomical terminology, those elements which they considered to be indispensable for their practice. This paper presents the results concerning the digestive tract, with special emphasis on the liver. The current anatomical nomenclature names 499 structures under the alimentary system. Out of these, 442 were judged unanimously. This corresponds to a consensus of opinion in 88.6 %. 148 (29.7%) have been settled as indispensable for general medical practice. Based on these results, a 3-level-strategy for teaching anatomy has been implemented. Its main features are briefly described in the paper.

Keywords: Anatomy, Teaching, General Practice, Family Medicine, Surgery

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)