Are clinical medical students confident with their head and neck anatomy knowledge?

A comparison of 1- versus 3-month regional anatomy exposure on learning outcomes of undergraduate medical students

Regional anatomy teaching forms a cornerstone of undergraduate medical education. Owing to an increase in teaching and learning content throughout the medical curriculum in recent years, contact hours and overall course durations in anatomy are under review worldwide. This study aimed to assess whether shortening the course content duration impacts learning gain and the ability to identify anatomical structures correctly. Undergraduate medical students of the Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU; n = 310) and at the Medical University of Graz (MUG; n = 156) participating in regional anatomy courses were included. Whole body regional anatomy courses, including hands-on dissection and accompanying lectures, were delivered over one or three months. Course content and examination mode were kept consistent, while the duration of knowledge delivery was one or three months, respectively. Objective structured practical examinations (OSPE) were then carried out on prosections for the neck, thorax, and abdomen. 3-month course exposure resulted in significantly higher OSPE scores for the neck (49 vs. 37%), thorax (65 vs. 54%), and abdomen (65 vs. 45%), respectively. Further evaluation of the utility of different embalming types yielded higher 3-month scores in the neck and thorax regions with Thiel-embalmed tissues and thorax and abdomen regions in ethanol-glycerin-embalmed tissues. Course exposure over a more extended period, like three months, appears to be highly beneficial.

Knowledge of head and neck cancer among medical students in the UK

Head and neck cancer (HNC) refers to malignancies found in mucosal surfaces anywhere from the paranasal sinuses to the larynx, including the various glands and cavities. Between the years 2016 and 2018, there were about 3900 new cases every year in women and 8600 in men, making it the thirteenth most common cancer in women and fourth most common in men. The aim of our study was to evaluate the amount and type of teaching United Kingdom (UK) medical students receive on HNC, and to assess their current knowledge of these cancers. An online survey distributed via university representatives was responded to by 311 final year medical students from 25 medical schools across the UK. Regarding HNC teaching, 72 students (23.2%) reported receiving no teaching at their medical school. Of the 239 who reported receiving teaching, 169 (54.3%) received it in the format of a non-interactive, large group lecture. A total of 271 respondents (87.1%) believed that medical students at their university would benefit from more teaching on HNC. Based on our sample, there appears to be an overall dissatisfaction and lack of confidence surrounding HNC in the undergraduate curriculum. With its increasing prevalence in the UK, it is vital that red-flag symptoms and referral criteria are understood by the future medical workforce.