Department of Anatomy

According to the recently practicing curriculum, the study of the whole body anatomy is divided into 7 main portions.

In 2020, Department of Human Resource for Health, Ministry of Health and Sports, Myanmar updated medical undergraduate curriculum as an integrated one. It includes total 6 years: foundation year, preclinical years (year 1 and 2), clinical years (year 3 and 4), and internship (year 5).

Department of Anatomy is responsible for teaching and guiding the students to learn the structural principle in the semester 2 of foundation year and to learn Anatomy in 10 modules of year 1 and 2. Anatomy could be taught as structure and functions, histology, developmental anomalies and related clinical application of various organs and systems in each of musculoskeletal and skin module, genetic module, cardiovascular module, respiratory module, gastrointestinal, liver and nutrition module in year 1, and then in haematology module, immunology module, endocrinology module, renal and reproductive health module, neurology and psychiatry module in year 2.

Now, the new integrated curriculum is at the time of foundation year, semester 1.

Each portion includes the gross anatomy by cadaveric study, histology by microscopic study and embryology by photo and 3D displays. The students are able to learn anatomy by the lectures using power point presentations, small group tutorials with two ways discussion, cadaveric dissection, problem-based learning, directed self-learning, self-directed learning, practical for histology and osteology. Very often, there are competitions of students for poster or oral presentations and also viva voce.

Students have to take five numbers of class tests plus final exam. The first four class tests last for 2 days each: one day for theory test and another for practical test (i.e. objective structured practical examination, OSPE). The fifth class test examines only the practical, not including theory. Final exam is 2 days for theory (paper 1 and paper 2) plus 1 day for practical. The first class test is usually held around February or March; second test around July; third test around September; fourth test around December; fifth test around January and final exam around March. (Remark: the time is not fixed and it can be changed accordingly. The department usually announces the date and time of tests on the notice board). The students who fail anatomy in final exam (not more than two subjects in total) have to take the supplementary course and re-exam in June. The assessment is 3F system; a student can take only three consecutive attempts otherwise he must leave the university.