Enhancing Anatomy Education: A Case-based Learning Approach with Standardized Patients for Medical Undergraduates

Context: Medical students require a strong knowledge in Anatomy with clinical sense before exposure to real patients. Case-based learning, in which trained volunteers are used as standardized patients, can fill the void between theory and practical experience under controlled conditions. Methodology: A cross-sectional educational interventional study was performed among 149 first year medical students. Two case-based learning exercises for the Upper limb and Abdomen were conducted following lectures. The standardized patient role was played by prepared volunteers in a small group with guided discussion and debriefing after the session. Pre-post test scores were used to assess knowledge gain using paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Cohen’s d was used to calculate effect sizes, validated questionnaires on students’ and lecturers’ perceptions of knowledge retention, clinical reasoning and communication skills were descriptively analysed. Results: The paired-samples t-test indicated a statistically significant improvement in post-test means (p < 0.01). 90–95% of the students selected this option in order to better retain knowledge, correlate this information with surgery training, enhance clinical reasoning and communicate more effectively with patients. It also promoted active group discussion, deep-level study motivation and greater teacher-student interaction. Faculty (80–100%) agreed that it encourages conceptual understanding, though 60% felt there was increased work in module development and training. Conclusion: Using standardized patient in case-based learning is an effective tool of teaching Anatomy for enhancement of critical thinking and communication skills. Implementation of this mode into the medical training program is possible as long as enough staff train in it and other departments lend their support.