European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 11 - Number S1
Eur J Anat, 11 (S1): 59-61 (2007)

Anatomy teaching to physiotherapy students: Preliminary study in the European higher education area setting

Melguizo C., Prados J., Rodriguez-Serrano F., Hita F., Peran M., Boulaiz H., Velez C., Marchal J.A., Caba O., Ortiz R., Martinez A., Carrillo E., Alvarez L., Aranega A.

Department of Neuroscience and Health Sciences, University of Almeria, Almería, Spain; Department of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain; Dpto. Anatomía Y Embriología Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Avda. Madrid s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain

ABSTRACT The integration of the Spanish university system within the European Higher Education Area implies a change in the current educational model towards a more flexible system that establishes the equivalence of degrees and encourages greater competition among courses. In this system, students will be expected to make a greater contribution to real learning in order for it to be more useful in their future professional activity. These changes will involve new student-teacher relationships, new methodologies, new teaching strategies and different evaluation systems. The success of this project will depend on a thorough knowledge of the present state of the courses that we teach. This is the first study to address the current state of human anatomy and embryology learning in the physiotherapy degree course. The analysis was performed in first-year students and focussed on the subject designated the structure and function of the human body, skeletal and muscle system anatomy at the Universities of Almería and Jaén. Student opinions were sought on the appropriateness of these subjects to their degree, on the methods used in practice and theory classes and on the evaluation and tutorial systems. Results obtained were similar between the two universities included in this study and indicated that: 1) students have a good opinion of the usefulness of the subject contents in human anatomy and embryology, 2) students prefer the new technologies to traditional educational systems, and 3) students have a positive appreciation of written examination versus oral examination or continuous continuous assessment. These findings will assist teachers of anatomy and embryology to establish approaches to improve the quality of learning in the setting of the European Higher Education Area.

Keywords: anatomy, competence, conference paper, curriculum, education program, Europe, human, learning, medical education, medical practice, medical student, physiotherapy, teaching

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)