Optimizing Masters Student Outcomes through Peer Teaching and Cadaveric Dissection in Anatomy
Authors: Burns Julia , Bond Amanda , Bell Marcus , Appelt Denah , Claeson Kerin 
Published: April 2020

The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) offers a masters level course enrolling 90–100 students per year as part of the School of Health Sciences, Biomedical Graduate Program (Biomed) for students who may continue onto allied‐health‐professions, not restricted to a clinical setting. The course historically utilized only models and prosected cadavers. Dissection is rare for an undergraduate or masters program and therefore lends an opportunity to improve student skill sets including 3D spatial reasoning as a tool for knowledge retention. In Fall 2019, PCOM Biomed‐Anatomy opted to include special dissections for every enrolled student, which required a new format for teaching. We hypothesized that standardizing the Teaching Assistants’ (TAs) Program would have a positive impact on both the TA experience and student outcomes. Further, by adding opportunities to peer teach and dissect, we hypothesized that it would have a positive impact on student experience and satisfaction. Noting opportunities for course enhancement and developing a pathway for medical education to interested graduates, two students who completed Biomed‐Anatomy were identified to serve as Lead TAs in a pilot program. Lead TAs collaborated with the course director to formalize the TA system. Students who excelled in the course in prior years were invited to apply to volunteer as general pool TAs and we recruited 57 students for gross anatomy and 11 students for histology labs. Lead TAs helped to support both general pool TA’s and students by creating a 1‐to‐6 TA‐to‐student ratio structure. Lead TAs would schedule general population TAs to labs. For the first time, Lead TAs would provide feedback during peer teaching preparation sessions, prepare active original special dissections, deliver clinical vignettes in lab, and generate and disseminate supplemental material. Throughout the course, we solicited weekly feedback from general pool TA’s and enrolled students, which helped us identify strengths and opportunities to refine multiple programs using anatomy at PCOM. In regard to student feedback, students trust TAs to provide information that is high yield for the course. Students agree and strongly agreed that TAs were an asset to their learning style. Students valued preparation sessions for peer teaching and the experience of the peer teaching component was a mechanism to keep pace with material. In PCOM Biomed‐Anatomy, we have made adjustments for the future to optimize TA and student experience based on the evaluations. For example, we will start every lab with a one hour review on prior material facilitated by TAs followed by brief clinical vignettes more suitable as faculty presentations. Lab will culminate with new material and preparation of special dissection under the guidance of Lead TAs and faculty. As a result of implementing this new format, we found an overall positive impact on TA experience and enrolled students performed higher than the year prior. Furthermore, faculty satisfaction has improved with the addition of these well qualified Lead‐TAs teaching in the DO program.