Abstract
BACKGROUND: Embryology as a course of study is a crucial component of medical education. Despite its importance, students often find it challenging due to the complex, three-dimensional changes that occur during early development, as such, do not have much interest in pursuing a career in this clinical field. This study, therefore, aimed to assess medical students’ attitudes, perceptions, and future career interests towards embryology as a course. METHODS: An institutional-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among students pursuing medical education using the Problem-Based Learning pedagogy at northern Ghana’s only public medical school. Participants’ attitudes, perceptions and future career interests in embryology were assessed using a validated questionnaire. A Chi-square analysis was conducted afterwards to determine the relationship between the study variables. RESULTS: 372 medical students in years one to six of their medical training participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 24.72 ± 5.26 years. Regarding attitude, 66.9% (249) of the respondents believed embryology has broad relevance across various medical fields, with 83.1% (309) of the opinion that the course is significant in contemporary medical education and that a medical doctor must have thorough knowledge of it to practice effectively. Also, 76.6% (285) perceived that virtual reality is more effective than images in teaching and learning embryology, with 15.1% (56) expressing their interest in pursuing a career in embryology. Participants in higher levels of study were more likely to pursue a future career in embryology (p = 0.033) and likely to guide their juniors to take up a career in embryology (p = 0.003). Most, 80.1% (298) of the respondents indicated a dissatisfaction with the current teaching methods of the embryology course at the study institution, highlighting the need for more interactive and practical sessions. CONCLUSION: Medical students at the study facility appreciate the importance of embryology, however, the current teaching methodologies are inadequate in fostering deep engagement and understanding of the course. There is a clear need to revise the curriculum to include more interactive and practical teaching methods. This revision is crucial to improving students’ learning experiences and their interest in embryology-related careers. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-025-07482-3.