Factors that affect medical students’ performance in Anatomy in the University of Nigeria

Background: Much attention has been drawn to the area of medical education in contemporary times with the aim of developing effectiveteaching strategies in our medical schools.Objectives: To identify the problems encountered by students in the study of Anatomy and suggest ways of enhancing their performance in the subject.Materials and Methods: Three hundred structured, pretested self administered questionnaires were applied to medical students of theFaculty of Medical Sciences, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC), who had spent at least two years in the medical school. Data analysis was by SPSS version 15.Results: Of the 300 questionnaires, 201(67.0%) were correctly filled and analysed. One hundred and three (51.2%) of the respondents were females, 163 (81.1%) were aged 21 to 30 years and 105(52.3%) hadspent more than two years in the medical school. One hundred and eleven (55.2%) believed that dissection followed by audio-visual aids 101(50.3%) offered students adequate exposure to the learning of anatomy. One hundred and eleven, (55.2%) also implicated overcrowding as a major cause of students’ aversion for dissection leading to inadequate exposure to the subject and the resultant poor performance. One hundred and seven (53.2%) believed that the preparatory period for 2nd MBBS exams should be extended so as to offer students adequate exposure to laboratory specimens.Conclusion: Over-population causes inadequate exposure of students to anatomical specimens and thus affects their performance negatively.Keywords: Anatomy, factors, problems, students’ performanc