The Use of Plastinated Prosections to Teach Anatomy in the Time of COVID-19

Abstract

The shift in 2004 from cadaveric dissection to using plastinated anatomical prosections at NYU Dentistry was made with the knowledge that an extensive, though limited, collection of plastinated teaching specimens would be handled by hundreds of students every year. This shift was followed by curricular changes that called for small, consistent groups, frequent administration of low-impact quizzes, and the addition of computers to guide self-directed study (Baker et al. 2013). In terms of anatomy retention and student satisfaction, we attribute the success of the Head & Neck Anatomy course to the plastinated Anatomical Teaching Collection and principles of small group independent learning (Lopez et al. 2021). We have found that this format of teaching head and neck anatomy proved highly adaptable to the demands of remote learning as a result of the COVID pandemic. This presentation discusses our curricular adaptations to remote learning for Head & Neck Anatomy and our personal observations regarding the impact those changes had on anatomy education and student satisfaction.