Advances in Physiology Education, Vol 270, Issue 6 19-S28, Copyright © 1996 by American Physiological Society
Directed case study method for teaching human anatomy and physiology
W. H. Cliff and A. W. Wright
Department of Biology, Niagara University, New York 14109, USA.
A mastery of human anatomy and physiology requires a familiarity with a
vast number of details about the human body. A directed method of case
analysis is described that helps students deepen and solidify their
understanding of anatomical and physiological facts, concepts, and
principles. The successful case had four distinctive features as follows:
clear learning objectives, a concise and informative scenario,
straightforward and didactic questions, and an emphasis on information
readily available to the student. A directed case study is presented, and
its salient features are described. A procedure for integrating case
analyses into an undergraduate anatomy and physiology course is outlined.
Student response to this type of case study suggests that this method
improves the ease of learning, the depth of learning, and an appreciation
of the relevance of and a curiosity about anatomy and physiology. The
addition of case analyses to a two-semester integrated course in anatomy
and physiology was also associated with an improvement in exam performance.
The regular use of directed case analysis is a valuable addition to the
traditional methods of lecture, textbook reading, and laboratory for the
teaching of human anatomy and physiology.
