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Module DIrector
Bruce Ian Bogart, Ph.D.
e-mail: bogarb01@popmail.med.nyu.edu
Department: Cell Biology
Room: MSB 619
Phone: X5237
The immediate objective of the gross anatomy unit is to introduce
the medical student to the structural organization of the
human body at the macroscopic level. The long-term objective
of this course, as well as the curriculum in general, is to
provide the student with the tools, time, and place to become
an independent, self-motivated learner who can confidently
use morphological information (data) to interpret and solve
biomedical problems at any point in his or her career. Thus,
the faculty wishes to instill in the student the basics of
the scientific method as it applies to anatomy; i.e., information
(data) gathering (including original observations), synthesis,
presentation (effective communication) of pertinent information,
and, finally, the use of this information in problem-solving.
In addition, we try to do this in a noncompetitive environment
that promotes student-student communication and free exchange
of information.
The above objectives are met in Gross Anatomy by employing
a variety of didactic approaches. Faculty presentations in
lectures and small-group conferences/demonstrations not only
provide specific information, but also serve as models for
how data should be organized and communicated. Students are
then trained and encouraged to acquire information on their
own while mastering the skills necessary to communicate it
and discuss it with others.
This course is organized around the anatomy laboratory as
the environment where the student practices the principles
described above.
The class is divided into teams of six students who explore
anatomy primarily at the dissection table. While two or three
students from the team are dissecting, the others are attending
a conference or participating in some other learning experience
(such as a prosection, radiology presentation, case study
discussion, or computer-assisted instruction session). At
the end of each period, the entire team of six students meets
in the lab for 15 to 30 minutes; the dissectors demonstrate
and discuss their laboratory findings, as well as answer questions
generated by the other members of the group, which may have
arisen in their conferences. After this exchange, the students
switch roles. The discussion periods require every student
to verbalize the information that he or she has gathered.
This process was introduced into the course to foster students'
synthesis of information in a non-judgmental environment and
to increase communication between these future clinicians.
A. The Dean's office has assigned you to one
of four sections (A, B, C 1, C 2 D, or E). Find out your designation
as soon as possible, posted on the ground floor Coles corridor
bulletin board. (No changes will be allowed in these letter
designations.) Sections A B, and C 1 will share dissection
tables 1-13 in Coles Lab G06. Sections C 2, D and E will share
dissection tables 17-29 in Coles Lab G08.
B. Each dissection table has six or seven students
assigned to it. These assignments are posted on the student
bulletin board found in Coles Room G07. It is important that
each group purchase a Dissector and Atlas BEFORE the first
lab for lab use only (section II). The dissection table must
also purchase a combination lock for their locker. The combination
lock CANNOT be place on the locker before the first lab period.
The members of the dissection team should share the cost of
these books. Mark your table number clearly on the binder
and cover. (You will also want your own clean copy for use
outside the laboratory.) Be sure to lock your lab books
in your cabinets
Each table will have three pairs of dissectors:
Pair X, Pair Y, and Pair Z. These designations, assigned by
the faculty, are posted next to each dissection table. Dissection
partners are rotated after each major formal examination.
C. It is important that you attend lecture
periods, prosections, demonstrations, and conferences at the
times designated for your pair and section in order to assure
each student the opportunity to attend all scheduled presentations.
You are assigned to class sessions according to the X, Y,
Z designations. Your specific activities will vary from day
to day within each week. Be sure to check your course
schedule every day. Your letter designations will
also be important for examination seating and will change
after each exam period.
D. Each pair of dissectors is assigned one
laboratory session in which they are assured of an opportunity
to dissect. Each group (six or seven students per table) is
responsible for the completed dissection. The faculty will
periodically assess each group's progress and make general
comments about the quality of the group's efforts. Since you
will be dissecting only 1/3 to 1/2 of the time, it is imperative
that the group meet at the assigned times to review the dissection.
The dissectors are responsible to both the group and to the
faculty to discuss and disseminate the information they have
obtained concerning their dissection. All members of the lab
group are dependent on each other to complete the dissection
successfully. Laboratory attendance is required of every member
of the group in order to fulfill this obligation.
E. Attendance and participation are required
for all case study exercises. Student participation and interaction
are necessary for the case study exercises to be a successful
learning experience. It would be unprofessional for a student
to come unprepared and thereby shift the burden of .?????
The faculty member who is leading the case study will verbally
assess each student’s participation. This feedback is
designed to make sure that the student is working at an acceptable
level before the formal examination.
Dr. Ort and I will provide you with a series of anatomy notes
that represent the core information necessary for this course.
We require each student to buy an Anatomy reference text.
We suggest that the student purchase Clinically Oriented
Anatomy by Moore and Dalley. This book will be very helpful
for the case studies. In addition, some students often seek
an additional text that stresses fundamental concepts and
then use a reference text for the details. Human Structure
by Cartmill, Hylander, and Shafland, Harvard U. Press, 1987
is such a text. It presents the fundamental categories of
anatomical organization in a coherent, reasonable, and thoughtful
manner. You may find it helpful. It is also available in the
N.Y.U. Medical Book Store.
B. We require that each table have a copy of
Grant's Dissector and Grant's Atlas. These two
companion books are required because we feel that the class
must proceed with the dissection using a common plan. We have
chosen Grant's Dissector since it presents a very successful
dissection plan that is reinforced by Grant's Atlas.
However, the student should realize that this is little
more than a listing of the important structures to be studied
and in no way is a substitute for a reference text that develops
the material.
Buy these two required books before coming to anatomy lab.
Each table needs its own dissection instruments in the laboratory.
Your table will be issued dissection instruments, courtesy
of the Department of Cell Biology, to be returned at the end
of the course. You will have a lockable cabinet with 3
shelves for your dissection group in which you can safely
store your supplies and materials. The Department of Cell
Biology will also provide gloves at the beginning of
the course. Plan to purchase gloves thereafter. Be
sure you lock up your tools when you finish dissecting;
the staff cannot be responsible for missing boxes of gloves,
texts, lab coats, or personal belongings. You will also be
given a skull to share. If the skull is not returned
at the end of the course, then the members of the table will
be expected to pay for the skull.
A. Name tags issued by the
Medical Center should be worn at all times during the course;
the more quickly we learn your names, the more helpful we
can be in teaching anatomy. Name tags should be worn during
case studies.
B. White laboratory coats and scrubs (supplied
be the school, not by the department) are to be worn while
in the dissection laboratory. Lab coats are to be hung on
the hooks at either end of the lab. This is a must. DO NOT
LEAVE YOUR LAB COATS IN YOUR LOCKER, ON YOUR DISSECTING TABLE
OR ON THE BENCH NEXT TO YOU TABLE. You are to wear a clean
lab coat each week.
C. Plastic aprons will be provided weekly. Closed
shoes are mandatory to prevent accidents due to dropped instruments.
D. Disposable latex gloves are provided while
dissecting. We recommend using gloves to avoid irritation
from the embalming fluid.
E. Wash your hands EVERY time you leave
the laboratory. Eating and smoking are not permitted in
lectures, conferences, model room, demonstrations, or laboratory.
F. Every two dissection tables have their own
sink. Your group is required to keep your table, sink area,
and chalkboards clean and orderly. IT IS ANOTHER WAY
TO SHOW RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DONATED THEIR
REMAINS FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION. Our cleaning staff is instructed
only to clean the floor of the laboratory and empty the various
receptacles.
G. In the laboratory you will find various receptacles:
large garbage pails for paper wastes, medium-sized pails for
organs, pails at the end of the table for drainage, small
pails lined with plastic bags for litter from dissection,
and small boxes for all used blades. The purpose for each
receptacle is set and not interchangeable. NEVER DISCARD PAPER
TOWELS IN ANY RECEPTACLE EXCEPT THE LARGE GARBAGE PAILS.
H. The cadaver shrouds are to be neatly folded
when dissecting and never left lying on the floor.
I. A guide to proper use of solutions and general
laboratory practices are found at the end of this introduction.
Distribution, at announced times, will proceed
as follows:
Each dissection team (table) will receive a bone box for home
study. This bone box must be shared equitably and kept in
a safe place (preferably group members' dorm rooms) at all
times when not in use. In addition, a second bone box is placed
in each cabinet for use in the lab. During the Head and Neck
segment of the course, the dissection team will also borrow
two skulls for study. These must be shared and stored safely.
Human Gross Anatomy Titles In Computer- Assisted Instruction
The anatomy faculty has generated several modules that are
available online to support and enhance your learning. These
can be found on the NYU Curriculum web page under the Morphological
and Developmental Basis of Medicine Courseware . We recommend
that you visit this site prior to every dissection lab. The
online lab manual will give you dissection information, and
support. Lecture videos and additional study units and lecture
reviews are also available. In some cases, conferences will
require you to review this material prior to the conference.
The Departments of Cell Biology in conjunction
with Academic Computing have developed several computer-assisted
instruction modules in human gross anatomy. These modules
include
Skull module that allows you to dissect
and reassemble the skull. This module is available on the
Gross Anatomy Web Page.
Meninges module allows you to explore and manipulate
the meninges of the neurocranium and the meningeal dural sinuses.
This module is available on the Gross Anatomy Web Page.
Orbit module that allows you to explore and .manipulate
the orbit and its contents.
In addition the Radiology has joined us in preparing radiology
modules that support the radiology lectures and conferences
to introduce you to radiology
Anatomical software available via Anatomy
Laboratory, Gross Anatomy Home Page or in the Library
1. Human Anatomy has both a dissection and review components.
The dissection component should be used in the anatomy lab
as an aid. .(Anatomy Lab and Home Page)
2. Beyond Versalius is a self-test dealing with cross-sectional
and CT images. After you complete the dissection, you should
use the cross-sectional anatomy test. (Anatomy Lab and Home
Page)
Student Responsibilities For Case Studies
The case study problem-solving exercises are an important
aspect of the course. Attendance and participation
are required. If a student does not attend a case study, then
the student has to make up the case before the exam.
The case studies are designed to promote faculty-student interactions
and increase student-student teaching. The case study sessions
also increase academic feedback to the student. If a student
cannot participate at an acceptable level during a case study,
the faculty will ask the student to participate in a tutorial.
Faculty comments (feedback) at the end of these sessions are
designed to make sure that the student is working at an acceptable
level before the formal examination.
Prior to every examination, each student is
required to take an online open book quiz. This will have
approximately 40 questions. The other exercise prior to an
examination is our practice laboratory exercise. These exercises
are timed self-learning exercises that should be approached
as both a self-assessment and a test of your present level
of preparation.
B. Practice and formal examinations, both laboratory
and written exams, emphasize the regions studied in the laboratory
since the previous formal examination period. Faculty proctors
will assign all seating for exams.
C. Your performance in this course is evaluated
according to the "Pass-Fail" system. We only report
a "P" or a "F" to the Recorder's office.
The written and laboratory components of the course are graded
separately but equally. You must pass both in order to pass
the course. You will receive your percentage score for each
exam. No student can determine whether he or she has passed
or failed the course until all the exams are completed. Your
numerical scores will be posted according to individual test
number. This information is solely for your own personal information.
You are competing against the faculty standard, as expressed
in our course and examinations, and not against your fellow
students. Helping one another will directly improve both
your examination performance and your understanding of anatomy
and embryology.
D. The answers to the formal laboratory
examination will be posted immediately after the examination
is over. You will have access to the exam with the answers
after the exam is completed. The formal written answers
will not be posted, but you may discuss your test performance
(not individual questions) with a faculty member.
E. The examination begins promptly at the hours
indicated; you should arrive at your designated examining
place 5-10 minutes beforehand to assure time for routine matters
of seating, etc. Bring several number 2 pencils and a clipboard
to write on! All formal exam periods are about four hours
in length (inclusive of both written and laboratory parts).
Examinations are to be turned in promptly at the time indicated
by the proctor. Exams will typically have questions concerning
both units of the Macroscopic Structure And Development Of
The Human Body Module
Some Points of Consideration for Our Anatomy Pass-Fail
Grading System
1. Rather than encouraging isolated study and
competitive individual grading, our course emphasizes a common
task (dissection of a cadaver by six students) and learning
through discussion (or exchange of information) with colleagues
and faculty throughout each day.
2. We de-emphasize examinations, not by giving
fewer but by giving more examinations, several of which
are self-graded. Within the course we give a total of eight
formal examinations: 4 formal written, 4 formal lab. There
are four practice lab examinations and four practice online
quizzes. In a sense, students begin to take course examinations
in stride.
3. Each examination is so structured that any
student, with the assumed abilities for which she or he was
accepted who works regularly throughout the course, will pass.
Passing levels are set up prior to each examination and are
not altered by performance curves. (This is fundamental for
an effective Pass-Fail system.)
4. Scores are returned to the students but not
submitted to the Dean's Office. These % scores do not represent
competitive statistics. However, students do interpret them
as such out of habit. These scores offer a profile, which
indicates whether or not a given student is working up to
his or her potential. Scores that fluctuate radically or begin
high and consistently decline are considered suspect, whereas
scores that attain a solid % range and are maintained or improve
are considered "excellent."
5. The written examinations are clinical vignettes
that have a strong anatomical component. These questions test
your ability to use the anatomical material to solve problems.
The lab exam requires identification, knowledge of relationships
and other information about the structures dissected since
the last exam. The student should realize that the basic
science courses contain material that is not discarded after
the individual courses are completed. The content of each
course is an important resource for problem solving in other
settings, i.e., other basic science or clinical science courses.
The student must demonstrate mastery of this material to pass
the course.
6. If a student's performance
"falls off" markedly on any examination to below
passing, he or she may be asked to make up that section of
the course before being passed. The Dean must approve the
scheduling of all make-up courses.
Unit Directors:
Michael Rindler, Ph.D.
e-mail: rindlm01@med.nyu.edu
Department: Cell Biology
Room: MSB 627,
Phone: X5812
Victoria Ort, Ph.D.
e-mail: ortv01@med.nyu.edu
Department: Cell Biology
Room: MSB 671,
Phone: X5363
The Embryology unit of the Morphological and
Developmental Basis of Medicine (MD) is designed to give first
year medical students a foundation in the development of the
major organ systems and the important congenital malformations
associated with them. The temporal organization of the unit
and the use of faculty who teach in the Gross Anatomy unit
is intended to help students use their knowledge of development
to aid in studying human anatomy.
Unit Organization.
The Embryology unit is given in the fall semester. There are
seven major divisions:
1) Fertilization and the Early Stages
2) Cardiovascular Embryology
3) Gastrointestinal Embryology
4) Urogenital Embryology
5) Development of the Pharyngeal Arches and Face
6) Development of the Limbs
7) Congenital Malformations.
In order to integrate the Embryology and
Anatomy unit material, Embryology will not be given on
a fixed time schedule. The number of lectures and conferences
per week will vary considerably during the semester. Embryology
classes are listed in the MD course schedule as well. Please
bear in mind that Embryology is taught in part by faculty
who also teach the Anatomy unit. Students should check the
schedule to ascertain what subject is being taught at a particular
time.
Examinations and Evaluation
of Student Performance.
Students receive a single pass/fail evaluation in the MD modulee.
This will be based primarily on the student's performance
on the examinations and quizzes. Embryology will be one component
of each exam. These are scheduled for: Sept. 14 (Fertilization
and Early Stages), Oct. 13 (Cardiovascular and Gastrointestinal),
Oct. 30 (Hindgut/Urogenital), Dec. 1 (Face/Pharyngeal Arches),
and Dec. 18 (Limb/Congenital Malformations). All of the examinations
will have essay/case study type questions. In addition, students
are expected to take the practice written examinations for
each topic, which include embryology questions. These are
given online.
The examination questions are designed to test the breadth
of knowledge and understanding of the student but by necessity,
the exams will cover only a subset of the content of the unit.
In general questions are not designed to fool or trick the
student. However, some of the questions may require a fairly
detailed knowledge of the subject matter.
To successfully complete the Morphological and Developmental
Basis of Medicine Course, a student must pass each of the
exams. In particular, the Embryology questions on each examination
will be compiled as a separate score from the Anatomy questions.
Students must have a satisfactory score on the Embryology
portion of each examination. This is separate and apart from
their score on the Gross Anatomy portions. The unit directors
will establish the appropriate criteria for a passing grade
for each examination based on the overall class performance
and past experience. Student performance on the Anatomy portion
of the MD exam is not taken into consideration when determining
if remedial work in Embryology is required and vice versa.
A quiz (Sept. 7/8) and class participation grades in the small
group exercises will also count approximately 5% of the overall
unit grade.
In the event that a student should be deemed not to have met
the standard for passing the Embryology unit, he/she will
be required, subject to approval by the Dean of Students,
to take a make-up examination given on or before January 2,
2007. The make-up exam will cover those portions of the unit
that the student needs to make up and will be in short essay
format. If the overall performance of the student is weak,
even if only a single examination make-up is required, the
unit directors may require that the make-up examination cover
the entire unit.
Examinations are not returned to the students. Scores
will be e-mailed to each student individually.
Text Books and Study Guides
Handouts for each embryology topic are provided in this Study
Guide. The handouts are in the form of detailed and comprehensive
written chapters and are generally a substitute for the corresponding
chapters in textbooks. Because color reproductions are so
much better than xeroxed black and white figures, drawings
or pictures from the textbook are not reproduced in the Study
Guide. Instead, the figure numbers are listed in the
text. In addition, the web-based version of the Study Guide
has the figure links embedded in the text for convenient online
use by students. Students are therefore urged to refer to
the drawings in the textbook and/or online. Slides from the
lectures will be posted on the module web site in most cases.
The recommended textbook is Langman’s Medical Embryology,
10th edition, by T.W. Sadler. It is a paperback available
in the bookstore. Because of the limited lecture hours in
the course, some subtopics will not be covered thoroughly
in lecture. Nonetheless, students will be responsible for
the basic information in these areas, which will be reviewed
prior to the examinations. The topics are covered in the Study
Guide and textbook comprehensively, and study questions emphasizing
basic knowledge in these topics are included in the Study
Guide. Certain Embryology topics will not be covered as part
of the Embryology unit and will not appear on examinations.
These include the development of the Nervous System, much
of the Skeletal System, and Muscle Tissue. It is anticipated
that the student will be introduced to the other topics in
later courses like Cellular Basis of Medicine (general principles
of development, including growth factor signaling and Hox
genes), Foundation for Medicine: Basic Tissues and Neuromuscular
(Skeletal and Muscle Tissue) and Foundation for Medicine:
Brain and Behavior (Brain and Nervous Tissue).
Students often ask if they may use other textbooks. The
Developing Human (now in its 7th edition) by Moore and
Persaud is also a textbook that students find helpful. Human
Embryology, by William Larsen, is an excellent book with
very detailed and accurate information. Students may use this
book. These books will be put on reserve in the Medical Library
for use as a reference and students are encouraged to examine
the drawings, especially if they feel those in Sadler are
inadequate. Human Embryology & Developmental Biology,
a textbook by B. Carlson, was not popular among the
students in the past and is not recommended. In addition,
other books will be placed on reserve are for optional
additional reading. These include Gilbert, S.F., Developmental
Biology and Speroff, L., Glass, R.H., and Kase, N.G. Clinical
Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility.
Students may wish to test their knowledge of Embryology in
preparation for the examinations. The Study Guide and Review
Manual of Human Embryology by Moore & Persaud, available
in the bookstore, is recommended. Other guides, such as the
Embryology Board Review Series may also be of some
benefit.
Case Discussions/Small Group
Teaching.
Embryology is primarily taught in lecture-conference format.
In addition to the small group exercises scheduled for the
Early Stages, we will have two case studies, one in the Cardiovascular
section, and one on Genital development. The cases will be
presented in class as problem-solving exercises and some materials
will be distributed to aid in the understanding of the cases
and their implications. The rest of the information in the
cases will be disclosed in the conferences themselves. Students
are encouraged to work with their fellow students in studying
the case background material. It is essential that students
come to the discussions well prepared, having read the handouts
and familiarized themselves with the chapters in the textbook.
To encourage adequate preparation, brief quizzes may be given
at the beginning of the small group exercises. However,
students will be given advance notice if a quiz is to be given.
Class participation grades will also be given in some of the
small group sessions.
This year most of the cases or small group exercises will
be given over two days, with half the class each day. We
ask students who have their sessions first not to diminish
the experience by sharing detailed information with those
whose sections are later that day or the following day.
Review Sessions and Study Questions.
In order to promote student participation in pre-examination
discussions and review sessions, a series of Study Questions/Problem
Solving Exercises has been prepared for each topic in the
unit. These questions will serve as the basis for the Early
Stages discussion on Sept. 7/8 and the scheduled pre-exam
reviews. Students are urged to come to the sessions prepared
to answer the questions and discuss any difficulties they
may have with the subject matter. In addition, informal optional
review sessions will be held periodically to help students
who may need additional support throughout the semester. Currently,
one of these review sessions has been schedule for Oct. 6
(Cardiovascular).
The study questions are designed to help students test their
knowledge of material and to prepare for exams. Drs. Rindler
and Ort will be happy to assist students in answering
the study questions. This can be done by e-mail or in person.
However, students are not to take advantage of faculty assistance
to avoid having to make an effort to answer the study questions
on their own.
Computer Programs/Library Materials.
Computer programs are available in several relevant areas
and are helpful for learning embryology. Students have found
that the Basic Embryology Resource Program (BERP) developed
at Univ. of Pennsylvania is very helpful, particularly for
the Early Stages and other parts of the unit. The program
consists of several modules, some animated, and primarily
serve as a visual aid of overall development as well as several
of the organ systems. The modules were each developed independently
and thus vary greatly in scope and detail. This program
is available on the Macintosh computers in the 2nd Floor Coles
seminar rooms and CD’s are available on reserve in the
library as well. The web site also has other useful visual
materials and links to sources of information, such as Clinical
Human Embryology. The Simbryo animations that come with the
textbook are brightly colored and somewhat useful for embryonic
folding (check Fertilization and GI) and GI system development.
However, they do lack detail.
In addition, in conjunction with the Advanced Educational
Systems here at NYUMC, under the direction of Dr. Martin Nachbar,
we have developed computer-assisted, case-based learning programs
for both Cardiovascular System and Gastrointestinal System
Embryology with special emphasis on clinical diagnosis. Many
students liked these programs in the past. They are worthwhile
but do require a significant time commitment to complete.
Students are urged to try them out and then decide how much
time to devote to these programs. They are available through
the Embryology web site. If you are using a remote computer,
you will need to download Shockwave to run these programs.
Links have been set up from the module sites to help you find
and download the program through Netscape Navigator. There
are also programs on heart development on the Embryology website
which you are welcome to use.
Office Hours.
There are no formal office hours but the unit directors are
happy to meet with students or answer questions by e-mail.
Please contact Dr. Rindler or Dr. Ort to set up a convenient
time to meet. Students are also encouraged to contact individual
lecturers in specific topics in the unit, especially those
teaching Anatomy, to ask questions about course material in
their areas. In addition, please feel free to contact the
unit directors concerning any general problems that arise.
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