What did COVID-19 change for anatomy, physiology and pathology students?
Yes. It curtailed hands-on learning and exposed gaps in assessment clarity and communication. In the National Student Survey (NSS, the UK-wide final-year student survey), the COVID-19 topic is largely negative (index −24.0) across 12,355 comments. Within anatomy, physiology and pathology, a CAH discipline used for sector comparison, tone remains comparatively positive overall (52.6% Positive), yet students repeatedly flag the same pressure points that the sector reports. Subjects allied to medicine sit closer to neutral on COVID-19 sentiment (−15.9), but in this discipline the sharpest drag comes from marking criteria (−46.9). The reflections below explain why these numbers matter and what changed for students on the ground.
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, it brought specific challenges for students studying anatomy, physiology, and pathology. These disciplines depend on practical and lab-based learning, so restrictions disrupted established routines. Student comments and text analysis show how cohorts navigated the transition, what institutions introduced, and where student satisfaction dipped. Understanding these shifts helps universities strengthen disruption-ready delivery and prioritise communication and assessment clarity.
What happened to practical and anatomical skill development?
Students report substantial barriers to acquiring hands-on laboratory and anatomical skills. Virtual labs and online simulations supported continuity but could not replicate the tactile and 3D understanding gained from dissection and specimen examination. Many struggled to translate two-dimensional images into three-dimensional knowledge, vital preparation for health and science careers. Reduced in-lab interaction with staff and peers also limited collaborative problem-solving and informal feedback, undermining confidence in readiness for clinical or research contexts.
How did universities respond to COVID-19 in these disciplines?
Providers pivoted swiftly to online teaching and adapted operations to protect continuity. Teams simulated practical scenarios with digital tools, applied safety nets such as adjusted grading schemes, and reworked placements to preserve exposure within health protocols. Where universities maintained a single source of truth for changes, summarised what shifted and why, and offered short, regular briefings, students reported better motivation and learning continuity. The strongest subject areas modelled assessment clarity and consistency, reinforcing timetabled rhythms even when delivery moved online.
What made remote learning difficult for these students?
Library closures and restricted specialist facilities constrained access to essential resources. The move from live demonstrations to practical videos removed real-time questioning and immediate feedback, making complex content harder to assimilate. Recorded lectures supported flexibility but reduced interactivity and, for some, engagement. Survey feedback prompted iterative adjustments to pedagogy and to digital platforms, but students still describe remote learning as insufficient for mastering intricate anatomical detail without supplementary, hands-on sessions.
Where did communication and organisation fall short?
Students describe patchy communication about changes to delivery, assessment briefs, marking criteria, and placements. Unanswered emails, clashing virtual meetings and shifting timetables created uncertainty that hampered planning and study pace. Access to digital materials varied in usability and compatibility, adding friction at the point of need. Programmes that kept a named owner for timetabling, provided weekly updates, and signposted disability-related adjustments coped better with churn and reduced anxiety.
What support structures worked during COVID-19?
Staff availability and personal contact mattered most. Lecturers and tutors who offered structured office hours, prompt responses and short check-ins helped students feel connected and supported. Academic support teams moved services online, with virtual drop-ins, expanded digital resources and counselling. Using student surveys to test changes and adapt quickly made a substantive difference, particularly where programmes shared how feedback had shaped decisions.
How did students manage financial stress during COVID-19?
The pandemic amplified living-cost pressures and uncertainty about part-time work. Some students juggled employment with study, affecting focus and wellbeing. Universities mitigated this by providing emergency funds, flexible fee timelines and access to financial advice. Staff who proactively signposted support helped students navigate options and reduce immediate financial strain.
What should universities carry forward?
Focus on disruption-ready delivery: keep a simple playbook for rapid shifts to online or blended learning, maintain a single updated source for changes, and schedule regular micro-briefings. Make assessment clarity the default with transparent marking criteria, concise exemplars and actionable feed-forward. Stabilise timetabling and reduce late changes. Preserve the people-centred practices that students rate highly: rapid staff availability, structured interaction points and visible responses to student voice. For anatomy, physiology and pathology, restore and prioritise in-person practical exposure as soon as feasible, and use simulations as preparation rather than replacement.
How Student Voice Analytics helps you
Student Voice Analytics turns open-text survey comments into clear, defensible priorities for anatomy, physiology and pathology and for COVID-19-related delivery. It tracks topic volume and sentiment over time, compares like-for-like across CAH groups and demographics, and drills from institution to school, department and programme. You can segment by campus or provider, generate concise anonymised summaries for programme and quality teams, and export ready-to-use briefings that show what changed, why it matters and where to act next.
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More posts on COVID-19:
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- What did mathematics students say about COVID-19?
- Did the pandemic reshape psychology students’ learning and wellbeing?