Online Anatomy Education in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Suggested Practices as Per Student and Faculty Experiences in the Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
Authors:   College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, Alsharif Mohammed H. Karrar , Gasmalla Hosam Eldeen Elsadig ,   Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan, Almasaad Juman M. ,   Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Muhammad Jibran Sualeh ,   Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Elamin Abubaker Y. ,   Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey, Alamro Ahmad ,   Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia, Shorbagi Sarra ,   Department of Family and Community Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Taha Mohamed H. ,   Medical Education Centre, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Eladl Mohamed Ahmed ,   Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Published: July 2022

Anatomy was studied through e-learning as a social distancing measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This study explored anatomy educators’ and learners’ experiences with online learning in two Middle Eastern countries in terms of instruction, engagement and assessment. The study employed a cross-sectional, mixed-methods approach using a validated questionnaire to collect data from students in 14 medical schools in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on their experience with online teaching, engagement strategies and assessment in anatomy courses. The Delphi technique was used to explore faculty challenges and recommended solutions. Six hundred and sixty six students completed the questionnaire. Less than half (41.74%) reported that their interaction with the instructor was easier and more comfortable than during face-to-face lectures. In addition, less than a quarter (21.32%) believed it was better to adopt online rather than face-to-face anatomy instruction. Faculty members described challenges and provided suggestions to enhance online teaching, including faculty and staff development, technical support, appropriate software to increase student engagement and curriculum development to suit the new normal. They also suggested improving assessment design and construction as well as adopting measures to eliminate cheating, train faculty and staff and properly select software. In conclusion, the student and faculty experiences with e-learning in anatomy were generally positive. Both faculty and staff identified many challenges with an emphasis on the loss of face-to-face teaching. Accordingly, faculty development, technical support, appropriate software to enhance student engagement and reformed curricula to suit online teaching are needed in online anatomy education.