Exploring Physiological Knowledge through Models: A Pathway to Innovation in Medical Education

Background: Physiology is a cornerstone of medical education, offering vital insights into human body functions and health principles. Traditional teaching often emphasizes theory, which may not fully develop students' understanding of complex concepts. Recent pedagogical methods promote active learning through hands-on activities, enhancing comprehension and retention. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to 43 medical students after they engaged in model making activities that allowed them to construct representations of physiological systems based on their understanding. The questionnaire focused on assessing the impact of model making on knowledge acquisition, creativity enhancement, and interest in physiology. Results: The findings reveal that 83.72% (n=43) of students felt model making significantly improved their understanding of foundational physiological principles. Over 90% (n=43) reported enhanced problem-solving abilities, and 51.16% (n=43) acknowledged a significant increase in creativity. Moreover, more than 79% (n=43) of students expressed increased interest and engagement in learning and recommended using it in the classroom. Conclusion: Integration of model making into physiology curricula proves to be an effective strategy for deepening students' comprehension of physiologic concepts while fostering critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. These findings suggest that adopting this hands-on approach may enhance medical education and better prepare future healthcare professionals for clinical challenges.