Cadaver dissection (CD) is considered a tool for studying the structural details of the human body. Lately, conflicting opinions regarding the utility of this modality in medical training have been published in medical literature. This review of the literature examines the status of anatomy teaching with CD in traditional, modern, and postgraduate medical training across the world. Literature published in the En­glish language on topics related to CD in the past 3 decades was scrutinized using different search engines. About 200 full texts were reviewed. We describe how medical schools have continued to include CD in anatomy teaching in the traditional or modified form. Medical schools that stopped or decreased CD have learnt from their experiences, and have restarted it in modified forms by integrating it vertically with medical training. In addition, CD activities have increased in postgraduate anatomy courses, surgery training, and voluntary/optional CD programs. CD, when integrated vertically, still has a part to play in medical training in modified ways. This overview may help curriculum designers to place CD in medical curricula and training programs in a justified manner.

The College of Science and Health Professions offers a university preprofessional program. Like most medical schools in Saudi Arabia, the teaching delivery strategy in the university preprofessional program is on campus and face-to-face. During the month of March 2020, teaching activities of the spring semester were proceeding as normal; however, the sudden emergence of COVID-19 disturbed routine activities and compelled authorities to switch all teaching activities from face-to-face to online. Training sessions and workshops for all stakeholders on online delivery methods were arranged. Blackboard and other online facilities were utilized. All teaching materials, including newly made video clips for anatomy and physiology practicals, were uploaded on Blackboard and discussed online with students. Students’ anxiety related to the exam was reassured by giving them the option of open book quizzes during summative continuous assessment. All scheduled teaching sessions, lectures, and practicals were conducted proficiently. Revision sessions and assessment quizzes were conducted with students’ satisfaction. At the end of the semester, a final exam was conducted online as an open book exam. Students with technical issues while attempting the exam were given an opportunity to make up for it. After a successful final exam, the cumulative block grades showed students secured higher grades in the open book exam. Following that, the King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences has managed to conduct on-campus close book exams that abide by self-distancing and standard operating procedure policies.

Purpose: The College of Science and Health Professions offers the University Pre-Professional Program (UPPP) to newly enrolled students. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in preparing students to become self-directed learners and to seek students’ perceptions about student-centered teaching. Methods: A quantitative quasi-experimental study that used a pre and post-test survey in two stages, before and after semester-4. A self-developed questionnaire was distributed online. Results: The t-test showed students (n=701) after semester-4 had a significant increase in the understanding of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) (t (699) = − 8.27, p < 0.01), PBL dynamics (t (699) = − 5.12, p < 0.01), learning and dynamics of Case-Based Learning (CBL) and Self-Directed Learning (SDL) (t (699) = − 6.48, p < 0.01), and facilitators’ role in such curriculum (t (699) = − 3.41, p < 0.01). The ANOVA showed students attending various courses perceived the program variables differently (Learning in PBL p = 0.08, PBL dynamics p < 0.01, CBL and SDL dynamics p < 0.01, role of facilitator in PBL p < 0.01). Regarding the resources used by students during the basic medical sciences courses, no significant difference was observed between the study groups (p = 0.06). However, the only significant difference observed was in their satisfaction with the question related to assessment and course (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The UPPP improved students’ understanding of student-centered teaching and learning approaches, especially the PBL. Thus, UPPP helps students shift their learning habits from didactic to student-centered modern learning approaches. Variation among different students’ groups could be attributed to their previous academic background and change in learning medium to English. This study suggests that preparatory teaching programs like UPPP are helpful for students interested in joining the bachelor’s programs in countries like Saudi Arabia where English is not a native language.

The curriculum of medical schools includes courses on antibiotics. Therefore, it is worth exploring information related to the knowledge and attitudes about antibiotics. In this cross-sectional study the questionnaire was administered to the undergraduates in two phases, before and after attending the basic medical science courses. The data were collected on demographic variables, source of antibiotics, level of knowledge, and changes in attitude statements. Data analysis was implemented using SPSS. The mean age of participants was 19.87 and 20.15 in phases I and II, respectively. Most of the participants’ parents had education at the university level and a monthly income above 15,000 SAR. Generally, students had good knowledge and attitude about antibiotics. A significant improvement in students’ knowledge in phase-II was noticed in “level of knowledge” (p-value = 0.044), “paracetamol is considered an antibiotic” (p-value < 0.001) and “overuse of antibiotics can cause antibiotics resistance” (p-value = 0.003). The overall knowledge and attitude of pre-professional students were good in both phases, but their attitude did not improve at a significant level in phase-II. There is a need to put more focus on antimicrobial therapy in their training.

Objective: To calculate the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in premenopausal and postmenopausal females of Pakistan by using Dual Energy X- ray Absorptiometry (DXA) Scan for the first time. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi. Female subjects aged 25 to 85 years were randomly selected and divided into premenopausal Group I and postmenopausal Group II using proformas filled from patient’s history. Each group was subdivided into normal (pre A, post A), osteopenic (pre B, post B) and osteoporotic (pre C, post C) groups by DXA Scan. Number of females in each subgroup were divided by total number of females in each group and multiplied by hundred to get the point prevalence in percentage for the month of December 2011. Results: In premenopausal Group I, prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis was 12.9 % and 43.5% respectively while 43.5% females were normal. In postmenopausal Group II prevalence of osteopenia was 42.6% and osteoporosis was 29.2% while 28% females came out to be normal. Conclusion: It was concluded that osteopenia is equally prevalent in females of Pakistan irrespective of menopausal status whereas osteoporosis is found to be more prevalent in postmenopausal females compared to premenopausal females.

Innovating strategies have become a compulsion in all fields associated with improved outcomes. Similarly, an innovation was introduced in the curriculum design and content to be tested for the Anatomy and Physiology course at the College of Science and Health Professions (COSHP), King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), in the spring semester of 2020. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, until the spring semester of 2019, two examinations were conducted as continuous assessments (Midterm I and II), followed by a comprehensive Final examination. In the spring semester of 2020, these examinations were replaced with Block I, II, and III examinations, respectively, with modified content and weightage. The Final examination was comprehensive and included 24 Anatomy, 21 Physiology lectures, and three case-based learning (CBL) sessions, whereas Block III included only eight Anatomy, seven Physiology lectures, and 1 CBL session. Midterm I and II weighed 20% each with a comprehensive examination of 35%, while Block I, II, and III were all 25% each. This study focuses on the impact of the curriculum modifications on the results of written examinations for preprofessional students enrolled at Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Ahsa campuses. This retrospective study included data from 2356 male and female students from Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Ahsa. Data included Midterm I and II grades and Final examination grades for spring semester 2019 and Block I, II, and III examination grades for spring semester 2021. The results of the spring semester 2021 examinations were compared with the spring semester 2019 examination. The spring semester of 2020 was skipped to avoid the effect of online examinations during the COVID-19 restriction period. Data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS version 23.0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). Coefficient of variation (CV) compared spring semester 2019 and spring semester 2021 examination outcomes. The findings were analyzed concerning data related to gender, student groups, and campuses. An independent t-test of proportion was used to compare the CVs for spring 2019 and 2021. The overall comparison showed better results in the spring semester of 2021 (p-value < 0.01). Campus-wise, the results were significantly better for Riyadh (p-value < 0.01). The gender-wise study showed better performance from male students (p-value < 0.01). Concerning campus and gender, the results of male and female students of the Riyadh campus came out to be highly significant (p-value < 0.01). Changing from Midterms to the Block system significantly improved the Block III examination results in spring semester 2021, particularly at the Riyadh campus. Overall, the changes remained helpful to all students. Further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effect of the curriculum changes.