SCU anatomy lab tours inspire future healthcare students

Two large charter buses pulled up to the Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) campus early on a Wednesday morning, delivering a group of curious students ready to explore the world of health sciences via the SCU anatomy lab.

The students, participating in the Whittier College Tech Trek program, were about to embark on an unforgettable journey into the human body, guided by the SCU anatomy lab facilities.

SCU recently relaunched its Anatomy Lab Tours, a unique opportunity for local high school and college students to get hands-on experience in a university-level cadaver lab, an SCU press release noted. This immersive program, now back in full swing after a pandemic hiatus, is part of SCU’s commitment to community engagement, health education and inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Engaging, hands-on experience

On this tour day, 85 students arrived in two sessions, each receiving a guided experience through SCU’s innovative anatomy lab. The tours began with students donning white lab coats and splitting into groups. One group entered the cadaver lab with Erenie Shenouda, DC, a faculty member and SCU Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program graduate, while the other explored the SynDaver lab with Maziar Maasoumian, DC, also an SCU graduate and faculty member.

The SynDavers, lifelike silicone anatomical models, gave students a chance to identify organs, learn their functions and interact with realistic representations of human anatomy. Nearby, models of skeletal bones and the human heart supported deeper learning, sparking curiosity and thoughtful questions. The cadaver lab experience, meanwhile, offered a rare and respectful introduction to real human anatomy, guided with care and professionalism by Shenouda.

As the groups rotated between lab experiences, students gained valuable insight into human biology and the academic paths available to pursue careers in health and medicine. The tours concluded with a presentation from SCU Admissions representatives, who shared program information, talked about prerequisites and answered questions about higher education opportunities at SCU.

Lasting impact

Students and faculty find the tours to be educational and transformative.

“It’s a win-win,” said Jory Basso, Dip SIM, CSCS, DC, Assistant Dean at SCU. “It provides great exposure to our programs, offers service hours and community engagement for our faculty, creates memorable experiences for students and generates revenue that helps us upgrade and improve anatomy resources.”

Learn more

Tours typically take place on Wednesdays. Schools or educators interested in scheduling a tour can contact the SCU Anatomy Lab Tours team at anatomylabseminar@scuhs.edu for more information on availability, pricing and scheduling.

About Southern California University of Health Sciences

Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is one of the world’s only integrative, whole health universities—preparing students to blend the best of conventional medicine with proven complementary approaches, and to treat the whole person (body, mind and spirit). Founded in 1911 as one of the nation’s very first chiropractic colleges, SCU has been challenging convention and pushing healthcare forward since the very beginning. Today, the institution offers graduate, undergraduate and certificate programs in a wide range of disciplines, including Chiropractic, Sports Medicine, Physical/Occupational Therapy, Genetic Counseling, Genetics and Genomics, Medical Science, Physician Assistant, Ayurveda, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine, Whole Health Leadership and beyond. Learn more at scuhs.edu.