Body Painting of the Horse and Cow to Learn Surface Anatomy.

The study explores the use of body painting on live animals, specifically horses and cows, for teaching surface anatomy, a challenging subject in veterinary medicine. The researchers found this practice beneficial in helping students understand structural locations, retain information, gain confidence, and link information between cadaver and living animal anatomy.

Objective of the Research

• The main goal of this study was to observe the effectiveness of body painting used to teach surface anatomy to second-semester veterinary medicine students. While body painting is frequently used in human anatomy education, it has been less commonly used in veterinary medicine.

Methodology

• The research involved two practical sessions in which live animals (horses and cows) were used. These sessions were centered on the locomotor and nervous systems, as well as splanchnology, the study of the viscera or internal organs.
• Following the sessions, the students’ understanding of the material was assessed using three short theoretical and practical exams: a pre-test on splanchnology (Q1), an immediate post-test on splanchnology (Q2), and a post-test after 7 weeks on the locomotor and nervous systems (Q3).

Results

• Students who participated in the study found that the body painting sessions improved their understanding of anatomy and helped them approach large animals with more confidence.
• The research showed that the students’ test scores increased significantly from Q1 to Q2 and Q3, suggesting that the body painting sessions promoted long-term knowledge retention and integration.
• The most common mistake observed in Q1 was the students underestimating the actual size of the organs, such as the lungs, the rumen in cattle, and the cecum in horses.

Conclusions

• The results suggest that body painting in veterinary medicine helps students better understand and retain information about anatomy, thereby bridging the learning gap between studying cadavers and live animals.
• Based on these positive findings, the authors recommended that more body painting sessions be included in future veterinary medicine curricula to further integrate anatomy knowledge.