Integrating Case Studies into the Anatomy and Physiology Curriculum

1. Integrating Case Studies into the Anatomy and Physiology Curriculum

2. What are case studies? • Course material in the context of a story • Makes it personal • Character(s) with a physiological problem that needs to be resolved • Facts must be analyzed • Data can be incomplete, emotional/ethical concerns can be raised • Requires group learning and critical thinking

3. In Anatomy and Physiology? • Many facts and physiological mechanisms • Integrated across the different organ systems • Skin and bone • Heart and lung • Material builds on earlier chapters - must be retained for two semesters • Overwhelming

4. What benefits? • Apply lecture material • Active participants in their own education • Improves understanding • Improves retention • Helps develop critical thinking

5. Typical case study • Introduce people with a condition or disease that involves the physiological process under study • Symptoms, test results… • Students must apply their knowledge to answer a series of questions • Notes, books, Internet, library research

6. Fall 2007: Anatomy and Physiology I • Five case studies written - tailored to our curriculum • Sixteen students divided into four groups • Each student assigned an individual question • Answers posted in online forum • Discussed by students and professor • Groups submit a complete set of answers • Case study discussed during lecture period • Peer evaluation sheets turned in • Question(s) appear on lecture exams

7. What case studies? • Motherly Love • Congestive Heart Failure • Na/K pump and its role in maintaining physiological homeostasis • Fresh Air and Sunshine • Rickets and Osteomalacia • The link between skin and bone • Perfect Pitch • Rotator Cuff injury - Surgery and rehabilitation • The shoulder joint and muscles that cross it • A Semester Ends • Muscle physiology, rigor and livor mortis • Cocaine • Physiological effects of cocaine upon nerve endings and its effects upon different physiological systems

8. What did you like best/least about this case study? How could it be improved?

9. Negative Comments • “Some of the questions were very detailed and required research. It was difficult to fully answer some of the questions.” • “Researching answers.” • “It was scary to think someone would let themselves get this drunk. I don’t like that he died.”

10. Positive Comments • “I enjoyed how it tied in and related the Na/K pump into the workings of the human body. I’ve learned about the pump in several classes but never really had to grasp the importance of it for human survival. Its an extremely important system and is vital to survival.” • “I liked the fact that all of the questions kind of snowballed after each other and we were able to be taken through the process of the problems that would occur in Catherine’s situation.” • “Being able to learn about shoulder injuries because I have one.” • “I liked that it was sport related because that made it most interesting.” • “I thought learning about the rotator cuff injury was very interesting. I played football almost my entire life and have seen my fair share of torn rotator cuffs but never really understood/knew what it was.” • “I liked learning about rigor mortis. I never really understood how it happened.” • “It had to do with college students and it was very real. Something like this could really happen.

11. Perfect Pitch • Student’s favorite Many wanted more! • “I liked the story because I am very interested in PT.” • “I wish it went more in depth with the surgery and PT.” • “I would’ve liked to see more questions on this case study because it have been my favorite on so far!”

12. Reflective Essay (250-300 words) • Did the case studies improve your understanding of the overall course material? • Did the case studies help you prepare for the exams (multiple choice and/or essay questions)? • How did you use your notes/textbook/internet to help you work through each case study? • How did working in groups contribute to the experience? • Did the case studies help you understand how to apply the material being studied to physiological problems? • Do you think the case studies helped you retain the material long-term? • Was the presence of an undergraduate facilitator/mentor helpful? Why or why not?

13. Reflective Essay Results

14. Reflective Essay: Interest • “…related to real life situations, so they were of interest to me.” • “…helped get us involved in what we were learning by applying the course material to real life situations. This also helped us to better understand the course material.” • “I was very interested in the one that talked about the baseball injury and the drinking incident so it made me really want to learn the material because I was very fascinated in finding out the answers.”

15. Reflective Essay: Groups • “Since my group worked very well together, it made the case study experience a good one.” • [Group] “work didn’t seem as intimidating.” • “Groups…if I didn’t understand the answer they could help me work through it.”

16. Reflective Essay: Understanding • “…the material that we went over on case studies was a lot more clear than the material that was not involved in case studies.” • “I feel that being able to apply the information from the lectures into real world applications really helped me understand it better.” • “I feel as though the material that we went over on case studies was a lot more clear than the material that was not involved in case studies.”

17. Conclusions • Students • liked working in groups • liked doing case studies • applied the course material • learned the material in depth and retained the information