Teaching and Research Experience in Anatomy and Oral biology in the School of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi

Review Article

Austin J Anat. 2016; 3(3): 1058.

Teaching and Research Experience in Anatomy and Oral biology in the School of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi

Hassanali J*

Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Health and Human Sciences, Pwani University, Kenya

*Corresponding author: Hassanali J, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Health and Human Sciences, Pwani University, P.O. Box 165, Kilifi, Kenya

Received: September 23, 2016; Accepted: November 09, 2016; Published: November 16, 2016

Abstract

The paper narrates experience of teaching oral biology and anatomy to undergraduate and postgraduate students over forty year in the School of Health Sciences at University of Nairobi. Oral biology was an additional basic science subject taught to students of Bachelor and Master of Dental Surgery and the course was challenging and prepared the students with a sound foundation for clinical dental sciences and diverse dental postgraduate degrees. Anatomy teaching was multidisciplinary; gross, microscopic, developmental with clinical relevance, to medical, dental, pharmacy and nursing students in the first level of under and post graduate study. The teaching materials and methods changed over time often together with course content and curriculum reviews. The perspective on student attitudes, motivations career choices are considered with change in the education scenario in Kenya over the years. Research has been in the field for dental data collection and laboratory based in oral and anatomical science. Several papers on oral biology, anatomy and neuroscience have been published in local and international journals in addition to conference presentations.. Some of these have been in collaboration with colleagues within UoN and others with research institutes. Brain Awareness activities (Ubongo campaign) targeting school students and community child health education for nomadic communities to deter tooth bud removal has been a major area of interest over the years.

Keywords: Teaching; Research; Oral biology; Anatomy University of Nairobi

Abbreviations

UoN: University of Nairobi; BDS: Bachelor of Dental Surgery; MDS: Master of Dental Surgery; DDS: Doctor of Dental Surgery; NMK: National Museums of Kenya; IPR: Institute of Primate Research; KEMRI: Kenya Medical Research Institute; AMREF: African Medical Research Foundation; SONA: Society of Neuroscientist of Africa; BSc: Bachelor of Science; MSc Master of Science; PhD: Doctor of Philosophy

Introduction

The experience spans for 40 years from April 1975 when I joined the University of Nairobi (UoN) with a Degree in Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS 1970) from Edinburgh University to teach the first intake of BDS students up to June 2014. I taught oral biology and anatomy under the mentorship of the late Prof. Joseph Mungai (Figure 1), who was then the Chairman of Department of Human Anatomy, to teach dental and medical students and to do research. I then obtained Doctor Dental Surgery (DDS) from Edinburgh University in 1990, with an external thesis on neural connections of the teeth to the brain in the baboon, under the supervision of the late Prof. Joseph Mungai and Prof. V. Fasana. Over the years, I continued to teach oral biology to BDS and later Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) students and Human Anatomy to health science students; dental, medical, pharmacy and nursing undergraduates and postgraduates. In addition I supervised postgraduate theses and research for anatomy and dental sciences (Figure 1).

Citation: Hassanali J. Teaching and Research Experience in Anatomy and Oral biology in the School of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi. Austin J Anat. 2016; 3(3): 1058. ISSN:2381-8921