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Is the decline of human anatomy hazardous to medical education/profession?—A review

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy volume 37, pages 1257–1265 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

The continuous decrease in teaching time, the artificially created scarcity of competent anatomical faculties and a reduced allocation of resources have brought about the decline of anatomy in medical education. As a result of this, anatomical knowledge and the standard of medical education have fallen with consequences including safety in clinical practice. The aim of the present study is to analyze this declining phase of anatomy and its impact on medical education and to consider corrective measures.

Methods

This article expresses comparative viewpoints based on a review of the literature.

Results

Anatomy enables doctors to master the language of medical science so they can communicate with patients, the public and fellow doctors and diagnose and treat diseases successfully in all medical fields. No medical specialist or expert can master their field without adequate knowledge of human anatomy. The shrinkage of anatomical schedules, inadequate faculties and declining allocation of resources is therefore unfortunate. These factors produce stress in both student and faculty creating gaps in anatomical knowledge that means insufficient skill is developed to practice medicine safely.

Conclusion

This decline is hazardous not only to the medical profession but also to society. Reforms consisting of balanced rescheduling of medical curricula and optimum resource allocation have been proposed to improve the standard of education of doctors.

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Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, AIIMS, Virbhadra Marg, Pashulok, Rishikesh, 249201, Uttrakhand, India

    Rajani Singh

  2. Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Childern’s of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

  3. Department of Obstretrics and Gynecology, PHC, Rishikesh, Uttrakhand, India

    Kavita Gupta

  4. DRIAS, Rishikesh, Uttrakhand, India

    Man Singh

  5. Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Otago, New Zealand

    D. Gareth Jones

  6. Department of Neurosurgery, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India

    Raj Kumar

Authors
  1. Rajani Singh
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  2. R. Shane Tubbs
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  3. Kavita Gupta
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  4. Man Singh
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  5. D. Gareth Jones
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  6. Raj Kumar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rajani Singh.

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Singh, R., Shane Tubbs, R., Gupta, K. et al. Is the decline of human anatomy hazardous to medical education/profession?—A review. Surg Radiol Anat 37, 1257–1265 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-015-1507-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-015-1507-7

Keywords

  • Declining phase of anatomy
  • Medical education
  • Balanced scheduling