Frank Netter's legacy: Interprofessional anatomy instruction

Several medical schools have recently described new innovations in interprofessional interactions in gross anatomy courses. The Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT has developed and implemented two contrasting interprofessional experiences in first-year medical student gross anatomy dissection laboratories: long-term, informal visits by pathologists' assistant students who work with the medical students to identify potential donor pathologies, and a short-term, formal visit by fourth-year dental students who teach craniofacial anatomy during the oral cavity dissection laboratory. A survey of attitudes of participants was analyzed and suggest the interprofessional experiences were mutually beneficial for all involved, and indicate that implementing multiple, contrasting interprofessional interactions with different goals within a single course is feasible. Two multiple regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data. The first analysis examined attitudes of medical students towards a pathologists' assistant role in a health care team. The question addressing a pathologists' assistant involvement in the anatomy laboratory was most significant. The second analysis examined attitudes of medical students towards the importance of a good foundation in craniofacial anatomy for clinical practice. This perceived importance is influenced by the presence of dental students in the anatomy laboratory. In both instances, the peer interprofessional interactions in the anatomy laboratory resulted in an overall positive attitude of medical students towards pathologists' assistant and dental students. The consequences of these interactions led to better understanding, appreciation and respect of the different professionals that contribute to a health care team.