The Case For Anatomy Lab

[henslice]

I heard from a former U of C med student that the anatomy lab is not open 24/7, and that when it is open, students are usually in class or taking part in other mandatory academic activities. Can a current student confirm if this is still the case?

 

If it is, do you think this will negatively affect someone's performance on certain electives and/or clerkship rotations?

 

Lastly, has anyone seen the fact that there is no dissection at U of C as being a disadvantage going forward? Thanks

[BoopityBoop]

As some one who's participated in 4 full body dissections I will say that dissections are more of a fun experience and less so educational.

Unless you are an experienced prosector, you will cut many superficial arteries, veins, and nerves and miss so many crucial things. Think you're going to find the saphenous vein? You will... but in pieces. You won't even recognize the brachial plexus the first time you find it.

To really understand the anatomy, the prosections are nicely marked and less confusing to study from (and less time needed as well).

Also, I believe there are only few schools in Canada where students still conduct full cadaver dissections because the costs do not out weigh the benefits.

Can not speak on clerkship, but I suspect full cadaver dissections don't make or break any performance even if you are going into pathology, plastic surgery, general surgery or any other specialty that requires you to know your anatomy inside out.

Medicine is much more than regurgitating body parts, it's putting that knowledge into application to care for patients and helping out your colleagues that gets you ahead.

[freewheeler]

I don't believe the anatomy lab is open 24/7. There are many dates and times pre-arranged by our anatomy class representative and the anatomy lab workers as well as anatomy preceptors to be available for med students to examine the cadavers and prosections, however. There is no shortage of available times if you'd like to go to the anatomy lab and look at specimens. 

 

I don't know if you have any previous background in anatomy, but in my experience you basically learn it by first familiarizing yourself with the terminology and having a conceptual anatomical framework in your mind (from reviewing anatomical diagrams), then you go to the lab and correlate what you have learned to the individual cadavers and practice working your way through the relevant landmarks you need to know.

 

You really don't need more than a few hours in the anatomy lab to get this down.

 

Honestly I wouldn't choose a medical school based on them having dissection. I don't believe your clerkship performance will be negatively affected at all by learning through prosected specimens.

[sjc2]

The anatomy lab is open obviously during scheduled class time. As examinations approach, the lab opens up in an open lab format where all of the specimens and cadavers are on display. Sometimes there are instructors present in the lab, sometimes not. Often students will go down to the lab in groups and use the sheets that detail what can be found on each cadaver and work identifying structures together and working through clinical correlations. If an instructor is there they are often found answering questions and explaining concepts to large groups of students.