gms | German Medical Science

Especially first years students of the veterinary medicine are faced with learning enormous amounts of anatomical information in a very short period of time. The available time spent in anatomical labs is limited, therefore it is inevitable to recapitulate anatomical issues at home. However, exceedingly few students have any anatomical specimen to practice on.

Up to now, home study manly is based on learning anatomical issues from 2D drawings or photographs found in textbooks. The idea is to provide realistic 3D-dimensional models of different regions of the animal body based on CT Scans for the use at home. Additionally, by embedding these models into learning modules with predefined questions and answer possibilities in form of single choice, multiple choice and matching tests, students are guided through the enormous amount of anatomical information given in the textbooks.

High resolution CT scans of skulls and bones are generated. Based on the different gray scales, every picture point is assigned to a material and subsequently 3D models are created. Close attention is paid to generate most realistic and detailed anatomical 3D-models. Important anatomical structures are highlighted. To enable easy access for everyone, the models are transformed into PDFs. By integrating these 3D-PDFs into learning modules, students are challenged to acquire distinct anatomical knowledge by careful inspection of the 3D-models.

Detailed and realistic 3D-models of different anatomical issues are generated and embedded into learning modules, which are based on self directed questions and answer. The multiple choice test based self-assessment in combination with 3D-models with highlighted anatomical structures enable the students to learn the anatomical issues more focused and promotes the three-dimensional imagination abilities.

By creating learning modules with embedded 3D-models and by evaluating the knowledge students have acquired using single choice, multiple choice and matching tests, the gap between learning sessions within the anatomical labs and the self directed learning at home can be bridged.

However, a very elaborate procedure is needed to create realistic and detailed anatomical 3D-models.