Anatomage Virtual Dissection Table: a Supplemental Learning Aid for Human Anatomy Education During an Undergraduate Outreach Activity

Abstract

Learning anatomy from books has its limitations. Cadaver dissection and prosection had proven to be the ideal method of learning anatomy, though they also have restrictions. Commercially, there are several tools for the enhancement of learning and teaching anatomy, such as 3D virtual anatomy apps and anatomical models. The Anatomage, a virtual anatomy dissection table, is a powerful virtual table with capabilities of dissection and prosection of the complete human body or segments.PurposeEnhance anatomical learning through the use of prosections of human cadavers and the Anatomage as adjunct teaching tools in undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) students.MethodsIn collaboration with the Dallas Campus, the Anatomy Observational Outreach (AOO) stood to target undergraduate students from the Texas Woman's University (TWU) Denton Campus with interest in learning advanced human anatomy. There were 100 A&P laboratory students recruited for the AOO. After they took a 10 question pre‐test prior to the outreach, the students were allocated to smaller groups to observe human cadavers (group A) and the Anatomage (group B), guided by two Anatomy Professors, where they identified structures related to several anatomical systems. Students then answered post‐tests (identical to the pre‐tests) for the purpose of quantifying learning parameters to measure the success of prosection/anatomage. Finally, students were asked to respond to a 10 question feedback survey reporting their AOO experience.Results81% of participating students considered the undergraduate A&P courses to be lacking without the Anatomage, and believed the table to be an imperative tool in thoroughly learning and applying human anatomy. Moreover, 98% of the students increased in knowledge of extensive human anatomy.ConclusionIntegrating the Anatomage, the virtual dissection and anatomy table, into undergraduate A&P courses is paramount to the comprehensive learning and application of human anatomy in students' future health careers.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.