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Medical Anatomy Immersion

Content Lead
Lydia Strattan, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pathology
les222@pitt.edu

Course Description

The Medical Anatomy Immersion course (Anat; MED XXXX) is an intensive three-week experience that covers gross structures of the human body. In this Fall MS1 course, students will gain experience with anatomic structures and three-dimensional relationships that are fundamental to considerations of function, physical diagnosis, trauma, and disease. In Spring MS1 and Fall MS2, anatomy is directly integrated into Organ Systems courses to reinforce a student’s prior knowledge and deepen their specialized understanding of the body's anatomical connections including and not limited to: Cardiology (thoracic/heart), Pulmonology (upper airway and digestive tract), and Rheumatology (joints), Musculoskeletal (extremities), Reproduction, Sexual Health, & Gynecology (pelvis and perineum) and Neuroscience (brain hemispheres).


Course Learning Objectives

  1. Command a thorough foundation of anatomical structure as a pre-requisite for performing a competent physical examination
  2. Describe the three-dimensional relationships of the structures in the thorax and abdomen to one another and to the body wall.
  3. Illustrate and describe the structural and functional parts of the nervous system
  4. Draw the branching patterns of the vasculature of the trunk and limbs
  5. Define radiology and the role of medical imaging in patient care
  6. Identify the boney structures of the head and trunk and describe how they relate to soft tissues
  7. Describe the basic functions of each cranial nerve
  8. List the adult structures of the foregut, midgut, and hindgut and their nervous and vascular supplies
  9. Describe the basic sensory and motor deficits resulting from lesions of the brachial or lumbosacral plexuses
  10. Develop and reflect in writing upon a group standard for interacting with donors respectfully and with mindfulness of their humanity

Educational Methods​

  • Independent learning (pre-recorded videos, web-based modules)
  • Lab introductions each day to connect independent learning to in-person activities
  • Virtual dissection software on iPads and other AR/VR tools
  • Clinical demonstrations by clinicians from different specialties
  • Review sessions and mock exams led by teaching assistants
  • Human donor dissection
  • Formative and Summative assessments

Assessment

Assessment for this course is based on a cumulative Summative exam and a reflection. The Summative exam consists of both a multiple choice exam and a lab practical.

Requests for excused absences should be submitted via Elentra. Unexcused absences may result in grading penalties as outlined in the Policy on Absence and Attendance.