Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's 24 students involved in the Human Gross Anatomy class are taking an important step in preparation for their graduate and professional education, said Wayne Weber, UWP biology professor. The cadaver lab program was originally funded in 2002 by a lab modernization project that allowed for the purchase of the initial equipment and cadavers. Further funding has come from the UWP Biology Department and from the A. Keith Brewer Memorial Fund, a fund established to honor this alumnus particularly interested in health care advances and bringing more visibility to the biology program.

Weber feels that the six new cadavers the biology department received will give these students, many who are seeking careers in the health and medical professions, a significant head start in their next level of training.

"Having this opportunity is great for UWP," Weber said. "There are very few programs nationwide that have an open undergraduate class that offers cadaver dissection. Nearly all programs are tied specifically to professional programs. "Our students will have a competitive edge when entering professional schools. They will have already had the initial exploration experience and will be ready to learn as they go. Human Gross Anatomy is often the first class students will take in healthcare professional programs and, based on what previous students have said, our students will be prepared for 80 to 90 percent of what they will face in that class."

Adam Eiseman, a senior biology major, had a previous opportunity to work with cadavers through an independent study and is now participating as a teacher's assistant. "Textbooks show you where structures are generally located, but you have to search for a nerve or a blood vessel on a cadaver. They show you first-hand how structures in the body look and work," said Eiseman. "Without having this opportunity, you couldn't be a good physician."

Nathan Blankenheim, a senior pre-medicine biology major, said that working with a cadaver "puts it all into perspective, and lets you visualize the body as a whole."

These new cadavers, unlike those utilized before, have not been previously dissected. This semester's students are currently conducting the initial examination. "They will definitely learn more by beginning the exploration of the body," said Weber.

For more information about the course, contact Weber at (608) 342-1611 or weberwa@uwplatt.edu.