Student-directed fresh tissue anatomy course for physician assistants

Healthcare providers in all areas and levels of education depend on their knowledge of anatomy for daily practice. As educators, we are challenged with teaching the anatomical sciences in creative, integrated ways and often within a condensed time frame. This article describes the organization of a clinical anatomy course with a peer taught unembalmed (fresh-tissue) cadaver laboratory in the 2010 summer term of a new physician assistant program. To fit within the allotted 12 week time frame, students meet every Monday for both the classroom and laboratory component of the course. Students prepare for these sessions by reviewing a list of learning objectives and completing assigned textbook readings. Classroom sessions involve faculty presentations and are facilitated with the use of self-assessment questions and accompanying images. The afternoon laboratory sessions which follow the classroom sessions are comprised of four to five stations presented by first- and second-year medical students and a resident radiologist. End of course evaluations indicate that students felt that the course objectives were clear, achievable, and taught effectively with relevant clinical correlates.