Introduction

Anatomy is considered a cornerstone in human and veterinary medical education, as this basic science discipline provides a vital foundation on which to build the knowledge of the clinical practice of medicine.

Objective

The aims of this study were: 1) to collect information on first year veterinary student preference, and use of supportive educational tools, and 2) to assess long-term knowledge retention in senior veterinary students who successfully completed the bovine anatomy course.

Method

A survey was administered to first-year veterinary students in order to identify their learning tools of choice, and a diagnostic examination was designed to reflect highly relevant basic anatomy knowledge was administered to senior veterinary students.

Results

Besides the regular cadaver-dissection laboratories, textbooks were the tool used most frequently by first-year students to learn bovine anatomy. Computer technology was used by only 12.2% of the students. When evaluating knowledge retention of bovine anatomy by fourth year (senior) students, only 33.2% of the questions were answered correctly in the fourth year examination.

Conclusions

These results were interpreted as a low long-term retention of knowledge in Chilean veterinary medical students.