An Advanced Anatomy Dissection Lab Environment Combining Physical Dissection with Digital Dissector and Real‐Time Video Display

Abstract

Current trends in the use of clinical medical imaging will demand increasing integration of 2D and 3D visual cadaver dissection media and correlated radiological material into the gross anatomy curricula. In addition, increasing class size and the technical sophistication of incoming students necessitates an efficient and well‐organized delivery of dissection‐based anatomical education.Des Moines University's gross anatomy lab can accommodate 215 students. Each dissection table is a two‐sided operational unit where one student “navigates” for the other four dissectors by tracking and coordinating their work on a table‐side computer and a wall mounted monitor.Dissection sessions begin with a live, streaming video demonstration displayed on the student monitors at each dissection table. An instructor uses a cadaver to provide live demonstration of the dissection via an adjacent video control room that contains a camera mounted on a surgical boom. Students are then able to use a server‐based digital dissector with hot‐linked structures already pre‐programmed to appear at the students prompting. They are thus able to have immediate table‐side access to both text and atlas‐based visual images to guide them during their dissection exercises. This design allows the application of a vast range of text and visual materials displayed simultaneously and individually to 40 tables.