Teaching teen titans: An anatomy curriculum using superheroes for middle- and high school students in health professions outreach programs

Abstract

Health professions outreach programs are important avenues to increase interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). One aspect of many of these programs is anatomy, which can be challenging to teach due to its scope. Creative teaching methods, such as the incorporation of examples from pop culture, can help students better access complex scientific concepts. This study aimed to assess the utility of a superhero-based anatomy curriculum as part of summer outreach programs at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS). Students completed pre- and post-session surveys about their interest in the fields of STEM, their background knowledge of superheroes, and their thoughts on the effectiveness of using superheroes to learn anatomy. Prior to participating in the curriculum, most students were interested or very interested in the fields of STEM (72.4%). After the curriculum, most students (79.3%) reported that their interest expanded. Almost all students reported that the use of superheroes was beneficial to their learning experience (91.4%) and was preferred over traditional teaching methods (87.9%), despite not necessarily having existing background knowledge or interests in superheroes. Finally, some students felt that seeing the diverse identities of different superhero characters improved their ability to relate to the material. In conclusion, students felt that a superhero-based anatomy curriculum improved their interest in the fields of STEM and their learning experience. This suggests that creative teaching methods can effectively augment the existing mission of health professions outreach programs for a diverse group of students.