Anatomy is integral to the study of medicine and health related sciences. Through it students gain an understanding of the normal structure of the human body, forming a scaffolding by which they can later recognise and study abnormality. Dissection is the ideal method of learning anatomy but is time consuming, expensive and often difficult both technically and logistically. Health science education is rapidly being reconstructed worldwide to accommodate the demands of either systemic (problem-based) or regional (traditional) curricula, while becoming increasingly crowded with new subjects. This has resulted in less time to consolidate and integrate anatomical knowledge in a clinical context.

An@tomediaTM has been designed as a comprehensive, flexible resource to accommodate students at any level of study and complement any curriculum. It consists of nine modules; General Anatomy, Back, Abdomen, Thorax, Upper Limb, Lower Limb, Pelvis, Neck and Head. Multiple perspectives are provided for each of the 9 modules: 'Dissection' includes practical (including emergency) procedures and postmortem images, 'Imaging' incorporates sectional and endoscopic anatomy, 'Regions' incorporates surface and functional anatomy, 'Systems' incorporates conceptual and clinical anatomy.

An@tomediaTM is unique in that it uses real human bodies (prepared and photographed in each stage of a layer-by-layer dissection) complimented by sections, imaging and procedures that enable the user to both construct and deconstruct the human body interactively. Creative visuals with graphic overlays, diagrams and explanations provide a simpler conceptualisation of the complex reality. The program also compares the appearance of 'fresh', un-embalmed dissections and highlights the relevance of anatomy for common practical procedures by demonstrating these on specimens.

Operators can choose the order and rate in which they study the body, their direction of learning about it (by construction, via systems and regions or by deconstruction, via dissection and imaging) and the degree of detail (with optional text, overlays and 'rollover' identifications at every screen). The specially designed protocol enables them to 'build' systems, 'assemble' regions, 'trace' radiological images, 'map' surface landmarks and 'discover' underlying anatomical concepts, all on computer. They can alter their approach at any time and view the same anatomical structure from a different perspective (eg. external cardiac compression followed by an ultrasound image or diagram of the heart then a dissection series).

An@tomediaTM is also a valuable resource for practitioners, allowing anatomy revision with a clinical and applied emphasis and the flexibility to choose their own rate, topics and detail of learning. In addition, practitioners may find the program useful to assist with their patient's education; for example explaining the anatomical basis of referred pain, tumour spread, or in outlining procedures, imaging or surgery the patient may require.

Two comprehensive (both quantitative and qualitative) evaluations have been completed; the first by 132 first year medical students at the University of Melbourne and the second by ten external evaluators (including content experts in anatomy, surgery and education from Australia and overseas). The results of both evaluations have been overwhelming positive (Kennedy et al 2000, 2001) and these will be discussed.

Examples from the Thorax and General Anatomy modules will be demonstrated.

References

Kennedy D, Eizenberg N. & Kennedy G. (2000). An evaluation of the use of multiple perspectives in the design of computer facilitated learning. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 16 (1). Kennedy G, Kennedy D. & Eizenberg N. (2001) Integrated computer facilitated learning resources into problem-based learning curricula. Interactive Multimedia Electronic Journal of Computer-Enhanced Learning 3,(1)

imej.wfu.edu/articles/2001/1/02/index.asp.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION: Multimedia developers will be interested in the interface of this program, which is designed to cover a complex subject and enable maximal interactivity, yet remains as simple and intuitive as possible.

Curriculum developers and educators in anatomy will be pleased to see the latest developments in this comprehensive multimedia resource. In particular, they will appreciate its applicability to any course, solid educational basis and quality serial images of real cadavers.

Ways in which An@tomedia may be utilised by educators, students & health practitioners in self-education, patient education and as a consultation tool will be explored.

Priscilla Barker
Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Australia
Phone: +61 3 8344 5777
Fax: +61 3 9347 5219
Email: p.barker@unimelb.edu.au
Website: http://www.anatomedia.com

CO-AUTHORS:
Norman Eizenberg, Christopher Briggs, Ivica Grkovic
Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Australia
Phone: +61 3 8344 5814
Fax: +61 3 9347 5219
Email: n.eizenberg@unimelb.edu.au
c.briggs@unimelb.edu.au
i.grkovic@unimelb.edu.au
Website: www.anatomedia.com