Does gender influence learning, perceptions and retention in regional anatomy dissection courses?

Medical educators should understand the differences within the medical student population, including gender. Research on gender effects on learning and skill acquisition has yielded contradictory results, particularly in anatomy learning among undergraduate medical students. While various dissection course settings have been evaluated, gender-specific differences have largely been overlooked. This study examined gender differences in several aspects of anatomy education. First, the ability of undergraduate medical students to identify anatomical structures was assessed to determine gender differences in learning gains. Second, learning outcomes were compared between a 3-month and a 1-month regional anatomy course, with attention to gender. Third, knowledge retention was evaluated at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Finally, student perceptions of different embalming methods for anatomy learning were assessed with a focus on gender. Minor differences were observed between genders across different regions in learning gains. Scores from the 3-month course were higher than those from the 1-month course, regardless of gender, particularly for the neck, thorax, and abdomen. A significant knowledge gain was noted in abdominal anatomy at the 6- and 12-month follow-up: scores improved by 56% in females and by 68% in males. The comparison of Thiel- versus ethanol-based embalming revealed gender differences regarding tissue pliability and the utility of tissues for achieving learning objectives. In conclusion, subtle differences appear to exist between female and male students in terms of perceptions and learning outcomes in gross anatomy dissection courses. These findings will be useful in developing new curricula for undergraduate medical students, taking into account gender differences in the context of regional anatomy dissection courses.