Lessons Learned: Transitioning From Cadaveric Dissection to Virtual Anatomy and Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Physician...

The traditional use of cadaveric dissection in Human Anatomy education for Physician Assistant students has been increasingly challenged by the need for greater clinical relevance, flexibility, and cost efficiency. In response, our program transitioned to a modernized anatomy curriculum incorporating virtual anatomy tools and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to enhance learning and better prepare students for clinical practice.

We replaced cadaveric dissection with a combination of the Virtual Human Dissector, Sectra Anatomy Table, and POCUS. Implementation strategies included structured faculty development workshops, hands-on training sessions, and early communication with incoming students. Anatomy instruction was redesigned to integrate clinical imaging and real-time ultrasound scanning to promote active learning and application of anatomical knowledge.

Initial feedback from students indicated high levels of engagement, satisfaction, and perceived relevance to clinical practice. Challenges included faculty adaptation to new technologies and student expectations regarding traditional anatomy instruction. These were mitigated through deliberate onboarding processes and early exposure to the new curriculum model. A longitudinal evaluation is currently underway to assess knowledge retention and clinical application outcomes over time.

Transitioning to virtual anatomy and POCUS-based instruction offers a clinically meaningful, flexible, and sustainable alternative to cadaveric dissection. Our experience demonstrates that such curricular innovations can enhance, rather than diminish, basic science education, better aligning anatomy instruction with the competencies required in modern clinical settings.