Problem based neuroanatomy of cranial nerves: case of nerve intermedius

IntroductionNeuroanatomy taught at Medical School needs to be clinically meaningful and guide future acquisition of knowledge helpful in diagnosing and treating patients. Problem-based anatomy has been used to help bridge the gap between knowledge acquired in the lab and the requirements needed for daily medical practice. ObjectiveThis study evaluates the inception of data from Anatomage© Table combined with microsurgical dissection of cadaveric human injected specimens, as auxiliary to acquisition of anatomical milestones required for the cranial nerves, for medical students.MethodsThe study was conducted at Medical School of Pernambuco, Brazil. The Anatomage Table 10.0 was browsed for clinical cases, whose images would illustrate potential or overt pathological involvement of at least one segment of a cranial nerve. Each case was combined with microsurgical anatomy of the region to build an independent, question-lead, educational content, clarifying the anatomical milestones required to interpret, evaluate and treat similar patients. ResultsSeventeen illustrative clinical cases were selected for this purpose among 52 in-built cases at this version of the anatomical table. The inclusion of clinical cases brought a new appeal for the cranial nerve content, since it could be included both at graduation or post-graduate levels. Beyond signaling the continuous, individual process of learning anatomy, it also offers support beyond the lab walls, for the student on his/her individual learning journey. Conclusion This study displays the potential of technological tools, when combined with other resources, namely microsurgical dissections, to allow for creation of new and clinically significant learning resources.