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Effect of Hands-On Surface Anatomy Training on Students’ Clinical Anatomy Knowledge

Abstract

The study examines the effect of hands-on surface anatomy training on students’ clinical anatomy knowledge. Surface anatomy provides an important connection between external body features and the anatomical structures located beneath them, making it relevant to physical examination, clinical procedures, and interpretation of anatomical findings. Students may understand surface landmarks from theoretical instruction but experience difficulty applying this knowledge to real or simulated clinical situations. Hands-on training provides opportunities for students to observe, palpate, identify, and relate surface landmarks to underlying anatomical structures, thereby promoting active understanding of clinical anatomy. The study will assess students’ baseline clinical anatomy knowledge and determine the effect of structured hands-on surface anatomy training on their understanding and application of relevant anatomical concepts. The training will involve guided identification and palpation of selected surface landmarks, correlation of external features with underlying structures, use of anatomical models or diagrams where appropriate, and practical activities related to common clinical examination procedures. Students will be guided to identify anatomical structures and explain their clinical relevance during the training sessions. A quasi-experimental research design will be adopted for the study. Undergraduate anatomy students will be selected using an appropriate sampling technique and assigned to a hands-on surface anatomy training group and a comparison group receiving conventional anatomy instruction. The intervention group will participate in structured practical sessions, while both groups will undergo standardized assessments before and after the intervention. Data obtained will be analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, with appropriate inferential tests used to determine differences in clinical anatomy knowledge between the groups. The study is expected to reveal improved clinical anatomy knowledge among students exposed to hands-on surface anatomy training. Students may demonstrate better recognition of surface landmarks, understanding of underlying structures, appreciation of anatomical relationships, and application of surface anatomy to basic clinical examination situations. Practical exposure may also improve students’ confidence in identifying anatomical features through observation and palpation. However, some students may continue to experience difficulties with deep structures, poorly defined landmarks, anatomical variations, and regions with closely related structures. The findings will be useful to anatomists, anatomy educators, clinical educators, curriculum planners, academic administrators, and undergraduate students by providing information on the value of practical surface anatomy training in clinical anatomy education. The findings may support the integration of supervised hands-on surface anatomy activities into anatomy teaching and revision programmes. Such training may also provide students with a stronger foundation for subsequent clinical learning and improve their appreciation of the relationship between anatomical knowledge and physical examination. The study will conclude by determining the effect of hands-on surface anatomy training on students’ clinical anatomy knowledge. It is recommended that structured and appropriately supervised hands-on surface anatomy activities be incorporated into undergraduate anatomy education alongside conventional teaching approaches. Further studies involving larger and more diverse student populations should be conducted to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of hands-on surface anatomy training in improving clinical anatomy knowledge and practical application.

Keywords: Hands-on surface anatomy training, clinical anatomy knowledge, anatomy education, undergraduate students, surface anatomy, anatomical landmarks, practical anatomy, clinical anatomy, surface markings, anatomical relationships, palpation, physical examination, applied anatomy, anatomy teaching, medical education.