Student-involved demonstration approach to teach the physiology of vestibular apparatus for undergraduate medical students

Background: It is quite difficult to teach complex topics like the physiology of vestibular apparatus to undergraduate students. Understanding the orientation and mode of stimulation of receptors in vestibular apparatus is also quite challenging for the students. As faculty we attempt to use innovative methods to teach physiology and enhance student learning. Purpose: This article describes a simple and innovative method (student-involved demonstration approach, or SID) to teach the physiology of the vestibular apparatus to the undergraduate medical students. Methods: The current study describes a protocol where students engage in role-play sessions in the middle of the regular didactic lectures. Effectiveness of the sessions was later evaluated by using a questionnaire and by comparing the pre-SID and post-SID test results of the students. Results: The posttest score of the students was significantly higher than the pretest score, and this indicates the usefulness of SID sessions on enhancing the student learning in the class. Conclusions: Students also found this method very interesting and useful in better understanding the physiology of the vestibular apparatus.