Peer teaching in gross anatomy at St. Louis University

Abstract The gross anatomy course at St. Louis University was designed to utilize peer teaching. Eight students are assigned to each cadaver and they work in teams of two, so that every student does one out of every four dissections. During one class period, the lecture for a unit is given to all class members, followed by a prosection demonstration to only the dissectors of that unit (one‐fourth of the class). At the beginning of the following class period, the dissectors give a prosection demonstration of their dissection to the other six student assigned to their cadaver. The lecture and prosection demonstrations for the next unit are given to the next team of dissectors as above. The students anonymously evaluate the course each year. Passing Part I of the National Board Examinations is required. For 12 years, the National Board Unit Examination of gross anatomy was given as the final examination for the course. The course is liked by the students, can be taught with a minimal number of faculty, utilizes only half the cadavers of a traditional course, has less contact hours than the national average, yet students do better than the national average on the anatomy part of the National Board Examination. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.