Difference in perception of learning regional anatomy between Pasifika and New Zealand European students

Willie Solomona Time, Ilaisaane Foli Fakapulia, Latika Samalia, Erik Wibowo

Department of Anatomy, Dunedin, New Zealand

Objectives: The Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago teaches courses to students of various ethnic backgrounds. Here, we aim to compare the perception of learning regional anatomy between Pasifika and New Zealand European (NZE) students in our institution.
Methods: A brief online survey was sent to Pasifika and NZE anatomy students in 2022–2023. Students completed a demographic questionnaire and questions related to their perception of learning anatomy (each rated in a 0–10 Likert scale).
Results: Data from 62 Pasifika (36% Samoan, 26% Fijian, 18% Tongan) and 62 NZE students were analyzed. Participants were 20.91.6 years old, 76% were female, and 82% grew up in the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. Regardless of ethnicities, students felt that all anatomy topics were appropriately taught to their cultures. Pasifika students were significantly less comfortable in discussing thorax (e.g., cardiac and respiratory systems) and pelvic (e.g., reproductive and genitourinary systems) anatomy in class than NZE students. Pasifika students were less comfortable than NZE students in studying the pelvic anatomy using cadaver materials. The comfort in learning anatomy using plastic models did not differ between ethnicities for all regions. Except for abdominal anatomy (e.g., digestive and renal systems), Pasifika students felt less comfortable than NZE students in learning anatomy using reading material.
Conclusion: Perception and comfort level in learning anatomy may differ based on ethnicities and body regions. Anatomy educators should be aware of such differences, especially when teaching a diverse cohort of students.

Keywords: Pasifika students; education experience; ethnic differences; regional anatomy Ethic statement: This study was approved by the Human Ethics Committee of the University of Otago (D22/167).

Funding statement: This study was funded by the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago.