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Effect of Small-Group Anatomy Tutorials on Practical Examination Performance

Abstract

The study examines the effect of small-group anatomy tutorials on students’ practical examination performance. Practical anatomy requires students to recognize anatomical structures, identify landmarks, understand structural relationships, and apply theoretical knowledge during practical examinations. However, differences in students’ levels of understanding and participation may affect their ability to perform effectively during practical sessions. Small-group tutorials provide an interactive learning environment in which students can discuss anatomical concepts, identify structures collaboratively, ask questions, and receive guidance on areas of difficulty. The study will therefore investigate whether this approach can improve students’ performance in practical anatomy examinations. The study will assess students’ baseline practical anatomy performance and determine the extent to which participation in structured small-group tutorials influences their ability to identify anatomical structures and interpret anatomical relationships. The tutorials will involve guided discussions, practical identification exercises, examination-oriented questions, anatomical models or specimens, diagrams, and opportunities for students to explain structures to one another. The study will also examine students’ participation and learning experiences during the tutorial 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 small-group tutorial intervention group and a comparison group receiving conventional practical instruction. The intervention group will participate in structured small-group anatomy tutorials over a specified period, while both groups will undergo standardized practical assessments. Data obtained from the assessments and relevant questionnaires will be analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, with appropriate inferential statistics used to determine differences in performance between the groups. The study is expected to reveal improved practical examination performance among students who participate in small-group anatomy tutorials. Participants may demonstrate better recognition of anatomical structures, identification of landmarks, understanding of anatomical relationships, and ability to respond to practical examination questions. The approach may also encourage active participation, peer explanation, collaborative learning, and greater confidence during practical sessions. Nevertheless, students may continue to experience difficulties with small, deep, closely related, damaged, or visually similar anatomical structures. The findings will be useful to anatomists, anatomy educators, curriculum planners, and academic administrators by providing information on the potential value of small-group tutorials as a supplementary approach to practical anatomy teaching. The findings may support the development of more interactive practical learning environments that provide students with opportunities for repeated identification practice, discussion, clarification of difficult concepts, and peer-assisted learning. The study may also contribute to efforts aimed at improving students’ preparation for practical anatomy examinations. The study will conclude by determining the effect of small-group anatomy tutorials on students’ practical examination performance. It is recommended that structured small-group tutorials be incorporated where appropriate into practical anatomy instruction, with clear learning objectives, suitable teaching materials, and adequate supervision by anatomy educators. Further studies involving larger and more diverse student populations should also be conducted to examine the effectiveness of small-group tutorials across different areas of anatomy education.

Keywords: Small-group anatomy tutorials, practical examination performance, anatomy education, undergraduate students, practical anatomy, group learning, peer learning, anatomy tutorials, anatomical structure identification, anatomical landmarks, anatomical relationships, practical assessment, collaborative learning, anatomy teaching, medical education.