Determining how the knowledge of anatomy may Influence success or failure in clinical practice

Abstract

Doctors' clinical experience can be an important source of information for content selection in developing clinically oriented anatomy courses. Although expert opinion and personal preference have been the principal source of content for such anatomy courses, studies that actually investigate real-life experiences in clinical practice should contribute more to this enterprise. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how anatomical knowledge influenced success or failure in clinical encounters using a qualitative method. . Doctors working in tertiary, secondary, and primary care settings were invited to complete a critical incident technique questionnaire. Each participant was asked to describe a specific, particularly successful clinical encounter in which they judged that knowledge of anatomy was responsible for the successful outcome and a specific particularly unsuccessful clinical encounter in which they judged lack of knowledge of anatomy was responsible for the failure. Each narrative was analyzed and coded. The following themes of anatomical knowledge that influenced success or failure in clinical encounters were identified; knowledge that determined ability to: 1 ) locate anatomical structures topographically; 2) interpret clinical images, 3) assess patients clinically, 4) evaluate congenital anomalies; and 5) interpret laboratory reports. Although additional research is needed, the results can serve as a resource for faculty responsible for developing clinically oriented anatomy teaching curricula. Additionally, the study provides an example of a qualitative research method being used in investigating phenomenon in clinical practice.