Abstract
The Department of Anatomy (Anatomy) at the University of Otago delivers programs for students in diverse areas, including clinical anatomy, neuroscience, reproduction and biological anthropology. This study explored the experiences of alumni during their study and career pathways post-graduation through an online questionnaire distributed to department alumni. Most of the 190 participants studied anatomy as undergraduates (74.2%) and graduated in the past decade (56.8%). Reasons for taking anatomy included finding the topic interesting, a pathway into professional programs, or a degree requirement. Current employment differed between undergraduate (44.7% currently employed in clinical settings) and postgraduate alumni (26.4% currently employed in research, 19.5% in clinical settings). The main pathways for finding jobs were by direct search (38.6%), completing tertiary education (29.2%), and through social network connections (16.4%). Women alumni were less likely to feel that Anatomy prepared them for their careers than men. Themes related to positive and negative experiences included staff, course material/resources, social events, and peers. Suggestions to improve the departmental "sense of community" included increasing departmental events and resources. Alumni suggested that Anatomy should provide more potential career information, make available recent alumni profiles, and organize career fairs and networking opportunities. Postgraduate alumni were more likely to feel a "sense of belonging" in Anatomy than undergraduate alumni. Findings from this research provide an essential data point in the international evaluation of career prospects of anatomy graduates and provide a road map for other institutions to survey their alumni to obtain local insights.