Interview with John T. Hansen, PhD
Why did you feel that it was important to write Netter’s Clinical Anatomy, 5th Edition? What does your publication add to the field?
The study of human anatomy and physiology represent the corner stones of every medical student’s introduction of the human body. Human anatomy is the foundation upon which the education of our medical, dental, and allied health science students is built. Central to that study of anatomy is an appreciation of the structure/function of the human body and, by its very nature, is a visual science that is reinforced by lecture and laboratory dissection and/or demonstration.
What is the most exciting aspect of Netter’s Clinical Anatomy, 5th Edition? What chapter or topic covered in the new edition are you most excited about?
First, is the extensive use of the beautifully rendered anatomical images of two of the world’s foremost medical illustrators, Dr. Frank H. Netter and Dr. Carlos Machado. Second, is the inclusion of over 200 Clinical Focus boxes of commonly encountered clinical conditions seen in medical practice. The Introduction to the Human Body (the first chapter that orients students to the body’s systems) and the final Head and Neck chapter stand out as exceptionally helpful. First to orient students and then to assist them in their study of the Head and Neck, probably the most complex region of our anatomy.
Who will find the greatest value from Netter’s Clinical Anatomy, 5th Edition and why?
Medical, dental, physical therapy, and nursing students will, to varying degrees, find this textbook very helpful in visualizing human anatomy and learning about structure/function relationships. Practicing physicians also will find this textbook helpful in educating their patients. My personal physicians have used this textbook to enhance their patient’s understanding.
What new ideas, practices, or procedures do you hope your readers take away from Netter’s Clinical Anatomy, 5th Edition?
An appreciation of the power that the illustrations, and clear and concise descriptions can have on learning about one’s anatomy and commonly encountered clinical conditions.
What problem do you hope the future generation of your specialty will be able to solve?
One that all health professionals must deal with: understanding the importance of structure/function relationships and keeping up-to-date on evolving functional and clinical approaches inherent in the clinical sciences.
Is there anything else about Netter’s Clinical Anatomy, 5th Edition you’d like to say?
This textbook provides the essential anatomy needed by the physician-in-training, and other allied health professionals, that is commonly encountered in the first year of professional training. Beautifully illustrated, concise text, ample tables, an introduction to embryology and radiology, end-of-chapter review questions with explanatory answers, and extensive supplemental online images and text provide the perfect complement to assist students in their learning of human anatomy.
About the Author
John T. Hansen, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Neuroscience, the former Killian J. and Caroline F. Schmitt Professor and Chair of Neurobiology and Anatomy, and the Associate Dean for Admissions at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York. My research career encompassed the study of the peripheral and central nervous system’s dopaminergic pathways, neural plasticity, and CNS inflammation. I was course director of our Human Structure and Function course for first-year medical students, and was the Lead Editor of five of the eight editions of the Atlas of Human Anatomy using the Netter collection of medical illustrations, supplemented by the illustrations of Carlos Machado, MD.
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