Investigation of factors that influence the relationship between mental rotation ability and anatomy learning

Abstract

Background: Mental rotation is a cognitive process that involves the rotation of a mental representation of an object. This ability is important for medical students in studying anatomy as this subject requires the understanding of positional relations between organs.

Objectives: To find the effect of video learning of anatomy, training, gender, and type of practical exam on mental rotation ability. Also, to find correlation between mental rotation and anatomy scores.

Methods: Two groups were recruited: group A studied practical anatomy online using videos due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown; group B studied anatomy labs on-campus on plastic models. Both groups underwent a mental rotation test. Group A took labs on-campus during their second year and this was considered a training course for their mental rotation ability. Both groups, then, took a second mental rotation test. Group A was finally given a practical anatomy exam using plastic models.

Results: Males scored higher than females, though not significantly. The intervention course produced no significant change in mental rotation score of group A. Mental rotation score was correlated more with the theoretical anatomy exams than the MCQ-based practical exam, for both groups. For group A, mental rotation was better correlated with the model-based than the MCQ-based practical exam, especially the post-training score.

Conclusion: For students to take full advantage of their mental rotation ability, not only their practical anatomy sessions but their practical anatomy exams should be on anatomical specimens and not just videos or images.

Keywords: Anatomy learning; Mental rotation ability; Mental rotation test; Online teaching; Practical anatomy.