Functional anatomy labs in a second year medical school musculoskeletal course (721.7)

Many primary care physicians lack the training to adequately conduct the musculoskeletal (MSK) portion of a physical exam. To address this challenge at the University of Utah School of Medicine we devised a series of functional anatomy labs to accompany our five-week MSK course. Each week of the course was devoted to a different region of the body (spine, hip and knee, ankle and foot, shoulder and elbow, wrist and hand), and the associated labs consisted of six 20-minute stations which integrated integrated cadaveric prosections, imaging, including hands-on ultrasound experience, all in the context of MSK phAn. An anatomy professor, laboratory TA, 4th year medical student, or sports medicine physician facilitated. Reported was an increased knowledge and comfort in subsequent clinical MSK rotations.