Washington, DC–Gross anatomy dissection books have changed little in recent decades even though today's students may be more visual learners, curriculum committees frequently assign fewer hours to the course, and universities are often under pressure to train more students within tight space constraints. To help students succeed in this challenging environment, Carlos Suárez-Quian, Ph.D., Professor of Gross Anatomy in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, at Georgetown University School of Medicine, created an electronic guide for cadaveric dissection, using a straightforward new approach.
Using his new online program, the Online Guided Gross Anatomy Dissector, medical students can deepen their understanding by studying before, during, and after the lab wherever their mobile lives take them. "As a graduate student nearly 33 years ago, my classmates had to lug a textbook, atlas and 200-page dissection manual," says Suárez-Quian.
"We had lengthy and detailed instructions, drawings similar to what you see in today's print dissectors, but only limited access to photographs and no movies. Print instruction materials didn't show students how to first master the fundamentals, then proceed to a deeper understanding and detail the way an interactive program can."
After seeing his own students struggle with the amount of material and its presentation, Suárez-Quian decided to experiment with the web-based dissection program. He adds, "I wanted to change that. I thought I knew a way to make learning more student-friendly, without compromising knowledge or proficiency."
His innovative online dissector has just been published by Sinauer Associates, Inc. It is accessible on any electronic device with web functions, and features three major components:
- Over six hours of short cadaver dissection videos showing students how to perform cadaver dissections—students can watch the videos prior to class and come to the lab ready to perform assignments.
- Interactive step-by-step instructions with photographs on how to do cadaver dissections; after each dissection step, a student is shown an image of what structures should be observed. With clear, minimal text, the images and icons provided guide the student on what to do and look for after each instruction.
- After each lesson, students can test themselves with over 300 interactive, multi-labeled flash cards to reinforce their knowledge of the material. This allows students to determine if they can recall the names of structures that are already apparent in different photographs.
"The Dissector doesn't replace what students learn in the laboratory, but serves as a lab tutorial, allowing students to pick and choose individual sections for self-directed learning," says Suárez-Quian.
The Online Dissector is also suitable for undergraduate students studying anatomy and those students preparing to enter medical school who do not have access to a laboratory.
To evaluate the program's effectiveness, an assessment was conducted comparing medical students who have access to cadaveric dissections for medical education with Special Master's students who do not have access to the laboratory. Both groups received comparable exam scores according to Suárez-Quian, who offers the data to other faculty.
"We've shown that the dissector can be used to teach gross anatomy to students who will not participate in cadaveric dissection, yet these students will perform as well on gross anatomy exams as students who have had access to dissection," says Suárez-Quian.
The Online Guided Gross Anatomy Dissector is fully functional with all modern web browsers and most portable devices, including the iPhone and iPad. A demo is available at http://www.onlinedissector.com/, along with a link to the Sinauer Associates website, where copies can be purchased.
About Georgetown University Medical Center
Georgetown University Medical Center is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC's mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing & Health Studies, both nationally ranked; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization (BGRO), which accounts for the majority of externally funded research at GUMC including a Clinical Translation and Science Award from the National Institutes of Health. In fiscal year 2009-2010, GUMC accounted for nearly 80 percent of Georgetown University's extramural research funding.