Prosecting Human Cadaveric Donors in Stages to Mimic Dissection

Abstract

Gross anatomy lab contact hours are decreasing for many health professions students, yet the quantity and importance of the anatomical information they are required to learn remains the same. In an attempt to maintain the benefits of cadaver‐based study, many programs are using prosections as an alternative to dissection when student lab time is limited. Although prosection‐based instruction is a valuable and time‐efficient method for students, students can struggle to understand important anatomical relationships that are typically mastered during dissection. Creating prosections that mimic the progressive stages of dissection, presented in a sequential and structured manner, can maximize learning while mitigating the challenges of prosection use. Whole human cadaveric donors were prosected to demonstrate either superficial or deep structures for first year Physician Assistant students. Superficial preparations demonstrated superficial relationships. Generally, these donors had no muscles reflected, no organs removed, and limited amounts of fat and fascia removed. Deep preparations demonstrated intermediate and deep relationships for the different systems and regions of the body. Generally, these donors had muscles reflected and fat and fascia removed to show all neurovasculature. To maximize donor use and student learning opportunities, different organs and muscles were removed and different regions were hemisected on the deep preparations to provide several deep views and relationships. By prosecting in this way, the layers and steps of dissection from superficial to deep were represented and anatomical relationships that are frequently lost while preparing prosections were maintained. Students were able to appreciate anatomical relationships and variability from human cadaveric donors in a way similar to dissection while accounting for reduced gross anatomy lab instruction time.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.