Life University students switch to virtual anatomy tables

Anatomy classes at Life University (LIFE) have officially switched from traditional cadaver labs to virtual anatomy labs. With eight Anatomage tables in the Virtual Anatomy Lab, LIFE currently has more anatomy tables than any other institution.

“Anatomage has taken cadaveric dissection to the next level by creating virtual dissection,” says Leslie King, DC, dean of LIFE’s College of Chiropractic. “The Anatomage tables eliminate the chemical-filled environment and provide an opportunity for every student to learn at their own pace.”

The tables, which are roughly the same size and shape of pool tables, depict actual multi-­layered scans of the anatomy of a male and female. Within the classroom, they allow the vast majority of students to partake in lessons, something that was more challenging in cadaver labs due to student sensitivity to chemicals.

The Anatomage tables also allow students the option to hit “reset” on their work.

“The students are able to be more independent. With cadavers, if they cut a structure, it’s cut,” says Alena Coleman, DC, division chair of basic sciences in the College of Chiropractic. “With the table, it’s still there. You don’t lose the integrity of the structure. Students are able to explore more.”

Able to experiment without fear of losing their work, students often teach each other in class, sharing methods and discoveries with their classmates.

LIFE’s Virtual Anatomy Lab syncs learning with technology, giving the modern student a hands-on classroom experience while allowing for later study and reflection in the swipe of an iPad. “Technology is already a universal design,” King says. “The technology used within the Anatomage tables is definitely the wave of the future and an asset for every healthcare educational curriculum.”

Source: Life University