From “Form” to “Essence”: Guiding Students to Achieve Deep Cognitive Transition in Morphological Experiments

Xiaorun Zhai, Gaoshang Chai Department of Basic Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Gaoshang Chai, Department of Basic Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Within the basic medical education system, morphological experiment courses constitute the cornerstone for building students’ medical cognitive framework. However, the traditional “see-and-memorize” teaching model readily traps students in the cognitive dilemma of “seeing the trees but not the forest.”.Methods: Based on years of teaching practice and reflection, this paper proposes a systematic teaching reform plan centered on the “Three-Tier Observation Method.” This scheme aims, through progressive training in “macroscopic localization → microscopic identification → logical reasoning”, to resolve the issue of passive student learning and guide them through a cognitive upgrade—from static morphological recognition to the interpretation of dynamic pathological processes. This article presents this approach as a descriptive educational innovation, detailing its theoretical rationale, operational procedures, and illustrative case analyses.Results: This paper presents the “Three-Tier Observation Method” as a descriptive educational innovation. It details the method’s theoretical rationale, operational procedures, and illustrative case analyses to demonstrate its potential to help students construct a solid bridge between basic medical science and clinical practice.Discussion: We aim to provide educators with a practical and replicable teaching framework that fosters deeper cognitive integration, thereby contributing to the pedagogical toolkit for enhancing clinical reasoning skills in basic medical education.Keywords: morphological experiments, teaching reform, three-tier observation method, pathological thinking, medical education