Abstract

Background  

Previous studies have investigated the palpatory skills of medical students in a transverse plane using a static lumbar spine model. The integration of 3D printed models is especially useful in allowing students to learn and practice palpatory skills (Han et al., 2020). The end goal of this project was to create a more accurate lumbar spine model that could be validated and incorporated into existing osteopathic medical education. 

 

Study design 

First, second-, and third-year medical students were instructed to determine the orientation of the lumbar segments based on rotation and filled out a survey to calculate results.  

Results 

GraphPad Prism version 9.1 was used for statistical analysis.  The ratio of correct to incorrect identification of rotation at 0 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, and 8 mm were 0.51 +/- 0.046, 0.27 +/- 0.042, 0.25 +/- 0.040, 0.34 +/- 0.045, and 0.46 +/- 0.047, respectively. A One-way AVOVA with a Dunnett post-hoc test was used to compare statistical difference from the 0 mm control revealing 2 mm (p=0.0008), 4 mm (p=0.0001), and 6 mm ( p=0.0298) were statistically significant. The 8 mm segment was not statistically significant (p=0.82) compared to the control.  

Conclusions 

When compared to the control, students were just as likely to determine rotation of a spinal segment at 8 mm of rotation. Students did not perform as well when segments were rotated at 2 mm, 4mm and 6 mm as determined by a one-way ANOVA. This suggests that 8mm is the rotation to set the model to future studies.