How to Enhance the Learning of Veterinary Anatomy by Drawing?

The disappearance of spontaneous student-generated drawings in examinations induced us to start developing anatomical drawing tasks that would be useful learning aids in veterinary medical education. Through a series of drawing workshops, we aimed to broaden the study skills repertoire of students by developing their haptic and observational skills. Data were collected via a questionnaire and analyses of student-generated drawings by comparing the details of the drawings with the purpose of the drawing tasks. Prior experience in drawing or visual arts strongly motivated participation in the workshops. Drawing was mainly used as a self-study aid in subsequent anatomy courses, and respondents reported improved deep learning, evident in the student-generated drawings as well. Bone drawings of wildlife species showed details and interspecific variation beyond the structures taught during the curriculum-based osteology course on domestic animal species. In one drawing task, the detailed observation by students led into a discussion on the functional meaning of the noted structures between the students and the anatomy teacher. The incorporation of proven drawing tasks and tips as part of an ongoing anatomy course instead of separate workshop holds promise as a time-effective way to introduce drawing as a learning aid in veterinary anatomy.