Leveraging the Art of Medical Illustration to Enhance Anatomy Instruction

Abstract

Medical illustration uniquely links art and science, serving as a conceptual crossroads between the creative and the scientific context of health science education. This chapter describes the course development of an evidence-based teaching method aimed at directly improving content knowledge and indirectly decreasing psychosocial barriers that limit comprehension of course material, of particular importance during the unprecedented uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of traditional textbooks, students in the medical illustration honors elective course reviewed anatomy and physiology concepts through case studies and then used illustration techniques to display their knowledge through drawing. This pedagogical method allowed learners to approach science uniquely, through their own lens, to create learning guides, not by studying anatomy as a theoretical discipline or rote memorization, but rather by leveraging a low-stress creative learning environment. The implemented curriculum concurrently empowered creativity, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of anatomy and physiology. Without exception, students in this novel course could relax and ultimately feel less isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic while simultaneously learning anatomy.