Auditorium Presentation
AN@TOMEDIA: A New Approach To Medical Education: Developments In Anatomy
Priscilla Barker, B App Sci (Physio) Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Melbourne
Abstract:
The explosion of anatomical knowledge, coupled with less time to make sense of it in crowded health sciences curricula, is an issue facing both students and teachers. Although dissection is ideally the most valuable means of gaining an understanding of anatomy, it is consistently streamlined because of its technical difficulty, logistic complexity, time requirement and expense.
Anatomedia redresses these problems with a unique program that uses real specimens interactively, unlike many other multimedia developments in the field. Students can choose their approach to learning anatomy: by construction (of systems or regions) or deconstruction (dissection or imaging), and can compare perspectives to facilitate understanding. High-quality serial dissections, radiographs and models are overlaid with colour to offer the dual benefits of a matched photographic and an illustrated atlas, enabling the user to 'build' systems, 'map' regions, 'dissect' layers and 'trace' images. This is accompanied by concise educational text and can be used as a preliminary to, or even a substitute for, lectures, tutorials, cadaver dissection and radiology practical classes. One of many unique features is the inclusion of practical procedures required of a first call doctor (eg. airway management, tracheostomy). These are performed on cadavers and the anatomical basis of the procedure considered.
A modular design enables the eight major subdivisions of the body to be studied in any order. The user controls the rate and sequence at which they explore the body, and the complexity of their learning via optional text, anatomical concepts, exploded diagrams and clinically relevant questions. The regional and systemic perspectives make this an appropriate learning tool for both traditional and problem-based courses, and its ease of navigation and interactivity are ideal for self-directed learning.
Selections from modules on the back and abdomen will be presented together with results of student evaluation.
Benefit in Attending Session:
Multimedia developers grappling with extensive subject material will be interested to see how this program has been designed to cover all aspects of anatomy yet provide maximal interactivity, all within a simple, consistent interface.
Curriculum developers and educators in anatomy will be relieved to find a comprehensive multimedia resource that is applicable to any course, has a solid educational basis and utilises quality serial images of real cadavers.
Priscilla Barker, B App Sci (Physio) C/- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3052, Australia + 61 - 3 - 9344 5777 Fax Number: + 61 - 3 - 9347 5219 p.barker@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au www.anatomedia.com Dr. Norman Eizenberg (MBBS) Associate Professor Christopher Briggs (Dip Ed BSc MS PhD) Dr. Ivica Grkovic (MD MSc PhD) Address(es): C/- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia + 61 - 3 - 9344 5775 + 61 - 3 - 9344 5776 + 61 - 3 - 9344 5757 n.eizenberg@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au c.briggs@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au i.grkovic@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au