Laboratory

The laboratory for Medical Anatomy for the Health Professions is conducted using the Visible Human Dissector computer software and the accompanying Virtual Edge laboratory guide computer software.

The Visible Human Dissector was created by Dr. Vic Spitzer and his team at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, using the National Library of Medicine’s Visible Human Male project data. This software utilizes a real human cadaver that has been digitized and designed for use by anatomy students.

The Virtual Edge laboratory guide software is designed to interface with the Visible Human Dissector, so that students have a guided tour through the Visible Human Dissector cadaver.  Key structures, which students are asked to identify on the Visible Human Dissector cadaver, have been pre-dissected with students being able to click on text structure links in the Virtual Edge that will bring up structure dissections on the Visible Human cadaver. 

While these key structures will automatically appear with a mouse click, the Visible Human Dissector program remains interactive for student exploration and discovery.

This double software package is currently being used by undergraduate biomedical programs, Medical schools and Physician Assistant schools, both in the United States and abroad.

There are 4 modules or regions of study:

• Lower limb
• Thorax, Pelvis and Abdomen
• Head and Neck
• Upper limb

Each module or region of study consists of 4 laboratory exercises and approximately 11 lectures.

Each laboratory exercise corresponds to lectures assigned for that module and unit.  This software allows students to work with a virtual cadaver and identify key structures that are outlined in the laboratory guide, the Virtual Edge.