Exploring Anatomic Variants to Enhance Anatomy Teaching: Musculus Sternalis
Andrew J Petto1, David E Zimmerman2, Elizabeth K Johnson3
1Department of Biological Sciences and Integrative Health and Assessment Unit, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413, USA.
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 26, 2020
Summary
Cadaveric dissection reveals anatomical variations like the sternalis muscle, enhancing clinical understanding. This exploration promotes critical thinking and deeper knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy beyond textbook descriptions.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Medical Education
Background:
- Cadaveric dissection offers unique opportunities to study human anatomical variation.
- Understanding anatomical variants is crucial for clinical practice, especially in physical medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the sternalis muscle, an unusual anatomical variant, encountered during a gross anatomy dissection.
- To explore student-generated questions regarding the prevalence, appearance, function, development, and evolutionary origins of the sternalis muscle.
Main Methods:
- Routine dissection of superficial chest muscles in a human gross anatomy class.
- Students utilized an inquiry protocol and literature search to gather information on the sternalis muscle.
- Instructors employed a decision tree to guide student inquiries and analytic inferences.
Main Results:
- A large, well-developed sternalis muscle was exposed during dissection.
- Student inquiry led to the gathering of information on the sternalis muscle's characteristics and origins.
- The process enriched students' understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy.
Conclusions:
- Encountering and investigating anatomical variants like the sternalis muscle enhances students' appreciation of human variation.
- This approach fosters critical thinking and a deeper understanding of anatomy beyond basic descriptions.
- It promotes "habits of mind" essential for exploring musculoskeletal anatomy in clinical preparation.
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