Use of digital Cadaveric digital atlases to Improve Student Performance in neuroanatomy

Background: The use of digital platforms to teach various subjects in the pre-clerkship curriculum is a fast-developing field, but their utility compared to traditional in-person didactics is unclear. Partly fueled by the recent demand for remote learning materials and ever-burgeoning access to artificial intelligence, the drive has been to develop materials to meet the demands of the digital age. Our goal is to evaluate the efficacy of the use of a digital atlas to improve learning outcomes in the field of neuroanatomy, namely developing skills in interpreting imaging studies featured on summative examinations. Literature has shown that the implementation of additional radiological imaging to supplement traditional methods has promoted independent learning, improved student perception of spatial and anatomical understanding, and improved academic performance on examinations. Methods: The creation of a digital atlas requires careful evaluation of cadaveric sections to support the learning of imaging studies. The atlas will focus on presenting cadaveric images from different anatomical views paired with imaging studies of similar views. Subjects consist of the entire second-year pre-clerkship, and materials will be posted and available for all students. Results: A comparison will be made between performance from the previous year and the current year. Additionally, for the current year cohort, we will evaluate the summative performance of those who downloaded the materials and those who did not. Summative performance on written and practical exam questions will be included. Moreover, we can also evaluate results from NBME exams such as module summative, CBSE, and STEP 1 scores. Conclusion: This investigation can be part of the ongoing process of improving the pre-clerkship curriculum by providing an innovative, evidence-based approach to teaching neuroanatomy.