Interview with Jennifer Brueckner-Collins, Martha Johnson Gdowski, Virginia Lyons, and Peter Ward
Tell us your names and a little bit about your background.
Dr. Brueckner-Collins:
My name is Jennifer Brueckner-Collins and I serve as Professor and Vice Chair for Educational Programs in the Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. My academic career in teaching clinical anatomy began in 2000, when I joined the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine as an Assistant Professor. There, I rose through the academic ranks to earn tenure based on my scholarly work in medical and dental anatomy education. In 2010, I moved my professional home to the University of Louisville School of Medicine, where I’ve continued to pursue my passion for teaching the anatomical sciences for medical and dental students. During my time at the University of Louisville, I’ve helped develop integrated anatomy curricula for the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry and co-founded the school’s Distinction in Medical Education track, having mentored more than 80 students in this longitudinal experience.
Throughout my career, my scholarly work has focused exclusively on publishing innovative approaches for the anatomical sciences education. Since 2006, I’ve been fortunate to serve as an editor for Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy, including contributions to editions 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. In addition, I’ve served on Test Construction Committees for both the National Board of Dental Examiners and for the National Board of Medical Examiners. I feel so fortunate that all aspects of my academic career (including teaching, research, and service) have intersected in anatomical sciences education at the local and national levels.
Dr. Gdowski:
My name is Martha Johnson Gdowski and I am an associate professor in the Neuroscience Department at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Interest generated through high school and college anatomy courses led me to earn a Ph.D. in anatomy from the Penn State University College of Medicine. After postdoctoral training at the Cleveland Clinic and Northwestern University, I accepted a position at the University of Rochester. Currently, I am a director and instructor for a course for phase one medical students called Human Structure and Function (HSF) that integrates content in anatomy, histology, and physiology. I also direct its associated course for phase three and four medical students that builds skills in medical education. Passion for systems-level anatomy and innate curiosity about biomedical devices led me to develop and teach applied human anatomy courses to undergraduate and graduate students. These courses target biomedical engineering and pre-health professions students, allowing them to learn about and interact with biomedical devices in relation to the anatomical systems in which they are used.
Dr. Lyons:
My name is Virginia Lyons and I have been teaching in the anatomical sciences since 1997. I obtained my PhD in Cell Biology and Anatomy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and have spent most of my academic career at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. At Geisel I oversee the Human Anatomy & Embryology content in our organ systems-based preclinical curriculum, and also teach histology and neuroanatomy. My research interests are in medical education, specifically exploring innovative pedagogies, fostering self-directed learning in the classroom, and integrating anatomy and radiology in the medical school curriculum. As someone who likes to problem-solve, I enjoy thinking about the best way to convey information to learners. Thus I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to contribute to the content of the 8th edition of Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy.
Dr. Ward:
I am Peter Ward and I’m a professor of anatomy at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. I have been fascinated by the anatomical sciences since 2000 when I first encountered them, as well as the Netter Atlas of Human Anatomy, in graduate school. Since then I have been teaching anatomy, histology, neuroanatomy, embryology, and the history of medicine to Medical and Physician Assistants. My research investigates how to optimize student learning as well as investigations of novel or under-appreciated anatomical structures. I have another textbook featuring illustrations from Frank Netter and Carlos Machado, Netter’s Integrated Musculoskeletal System, and this is the first edition of the Netter atlas to which I’ve been asked to contribute.
Is there a new addition to the Atlas (piece of art, tables, or other feature) that you think will be particularly helpful to students, educators, or clinicians using the Netter Atlas?
Dr. Lyons:
One of the things I am most proud about for this edition of the atlas is the incorporation of anatomical models with diverse skin tones and ethnic features to better reflect the diversity of people we see in our society. Regarding thoughts about specific plates, learners will benefit from the updated dermatome plate that was revised using an evidence-based approach to better correlate with published literature. I believe the figures illustrating the vasculature of the nasal cavity will be less confusing for students without the “schematic hinge” that was used in the past to show the medial and lateral nasal walls in the same image. A new plate showing the nasal skeleton and paranasal sinuses will aid students’ understanding of the relationships between these structures. Finally, I am particularly fond of a new plate that demonstrates the entire course of the phrenic nerve and shows the continuity of structures that pass through or posterior to the diaphragm.
Dr. Gdowski:
I am impressed by the effectiveness of the Netter Atlas in continuing to meet the needs of learners at all levels in health professions training, anatomical educators, and practicing clinicians by remaining responsive to feedback. In response to learner and educator input, two new plates in particular, were developed by Dr. Carlos Machado for the 8th edition that improve both didactic and experiential learning by lending clarity and context to structures that can be difficult to appreciate, especially during dissection.
The first of these plates depicts structures of the temporal and infratemporal fossae to incorporate the full complement of neural, vascular, muscular, and skeletal components that one would encounter during dissections of this region. Prior plates for these regions included only selected structures from these dissections. Everything is visible in the new plate, thereby streamlining dissection.
A second new plate depicts the fascial ligaments of the uterus. Students have often conveyed the conceptual difficulty of learning about these important structures, given that they are not easily observed during dissection. Many of the reference atlases and textbooks depict the ligaments in images that are devoid of context that is provided by the adjacent organs or structures. Dr. Machado has elegantly portrayed these ligaments in a way that makes their appreciation more accessible to explanation during lectures and during anatomical dissection.
Lastly, several plates were added to improve the representation of the diversity of our population in anatomical depictions. This is a step in the right direction of ensuring that learners are using tools that represent them and the patient populations that they will see in clinical practice or in positions in the biomedical device design industry.
Dr. Ward:
The new and revised plates by Carlos Machado are simply jaw-dropping and they carry on the Netter legacy beautifully. These new plates highlight the regions and systems of the body while expanding the diversity of people being depicted in the images. In terms of my work, it was gratifying to suggest some new areas to emphasize on each plate to ensure each picture had the needed labels but didn’t get over-crowded. Another fun aspect was finding helpful images that would supplement the atlas content as bonus plates that can be accessed online. Finally, I got the chance to help craft a new plate that highlights the muscle compartments in the body so that students and teachers have an image that can be used to highlight how each compartment may have a variety of muscles but they are connected by fascial structures, innervation, and functions.
Dr. Brueckner-Collins:
When planning for the 8th edition, the editorial team and Elsevier staff stood united in their commitment to representing a diverse range of skin tones in plates dedicated to surface anatomy. Some key updates to select female perineum plates have been made, courtesy of the advocacy of Jessica Pin, including a more accurate depiction of the dorsal nerve of the clitoris. In addition, I am very excited about the beautiful new art of the infratemporal fossa, inspired by the vision of Dr. Martha Gdowski and created by the magical brush of Dr. Carlos Machado.
The Netter Atlas is now available in two different sequences: 1. The classic regional approach and 2. A new systems-based approach. Why is this new option needed and how should someone decide which is best for them?
Dr. Ward:
One great thing about the Netter Atlas of Human Anatomy is that it can be used by students in a wide range of programs and it brings clarity to the sometimes-overwhelming topic of gross anatomy. The new systems-based version will further the breadth of learners that can benefit from these amazing illustrations.
For students and instructors, the choice of a regional or systems-based approach all comes down to the type of curriculum in which your course takes place. If you are moving from one body region to another (back to limbs to thorax to abdomen, etc.), then the regional atlas is a slam-dunk.
But many instructors are teaching in a more systems based curriculum that may move between various regions of the body (the GI system involves structures in the head, neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis – and that’s being conservative). For people teaching in that manner, the new systems atlas will provide a great deal more convenience. The illustrations in each section ensure that students will have references that include the important structures in each system without having to flip between sections of the book over and over.
Dr. Lyons:
According to the AAMC’s report on curriculum structure during pre-clerkship years, in AY 2017-18 more than 88% of reporting US medical schools utilize an organ-system approach for part or all of the preclinical phase. Anatomy educators have adapted to curricular change in different ways. At some schools, the anatomy content is still taught with a regional approach or as a separate discipline that is not integrated with the organ systems portion of the curriculum; the atlas with the classic regional approach is ideal in these settings. At other schools the anatomy content is fully integrated into courses organized by organ system. Educators will find that the new version of the atlas will likely be a better fit for their curriculum as students can easily locate all the relevant structures of a particular organ system in one place. For example, the chapter on the Endocrine system brings together all the major endocrine glands, while in the regional atlas these are located in various chapters such as Head & Neck, Abdomen and Pelvis.
Dr. Brueckner-Collins:
At the University of Louisville School of Medicine, gross anatomy dissection experience occurs in our first year fall integrated course, that blends anatomy, embryology, neuroanatomy and physical exam. We will continue to use the traditional regional atlas since it best matches our instructional approach in this unique introductory course. The systems-based atlas will be invaluable for those medical and dental schools whose anatomy lab experience is spread throughout the biomedical science curriculum, often over 18 months up to 2 years. The organization of this new approach will lend itself to efficient study of pertinent anatomy by body system.
Dr. Gdowski:
There is considerable variety in the approach to anatomical instruction at different universities and within individual training programs. The Netter Atlas of Human Anatomy has successfully been used at a variety of institutions by learners, educators, and clinicians in curricula where instruction progresses through a logical sequence of body regions. Given the increasing interest in offering a more integrated approach to learning of the basic science content in health professions education, an option of an atlas that is organized in relation to organ systems makes perfect sense. This newest organizational scheme for the Netter Atlas of Human Anatomy has a logical sequence of plates grouped within their respective organ systems. Students and faculty now have the opportunity to select the atlas resource that is most intuitive for the sequencing of content and dissections in their curriculum. Offering a human atlas that is organized to group content by either region or system should improve the utility of this excellent teaching and learning tool.
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