DwayneEMTP Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Hey all, I'm a month or so into A&P and doing ok (well, about 97-98% of possible so far) and was wondering about the posts I see regarding cadavers. Are/have you guys dissected human cadavers in class? We start on cats this next week. I'm told they are anatomically very much like humans...(different posture of course). I've talked to some nurses and medics that took A&P without labs....? It wasn't an option in my program, I didn't even know you could. (wouldn't have anyhow) Anyhow, I wasn't sure if "cadaver" referred to anything dead you studied or if it only applied to humans, and if only humans, how many of you studied humans instead of animals. And if so is a cat still a valid subject to study to learn about humans? This is all pretty daunting to me...I went into class thinking "I can't believe we have to learn all the bones of the human body in one semester!"....Of course that was our job in the first week! Yeah...I know...I can be a bonehead...I want to study something that has like....three vertebrae and a kidney... Thanks all...Have a great day! Dwayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridryder 911 Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Most anatomy classes do not use human cadavers unless you take such a gross anatomy or cadaver anatomy, etc.. it is very costly and mostly used in a university setting. I did this for my own personal growth.. I already had Anatomy I & II, and human physiology. I personally have been through a cadaver lab, and had to go to another school to do so. It was worth the money, but again it can be costly... and smelly as well. I do not suggest it for those that are weak .. lot of formaldehyde, and I had to keep inflating his eyes.. Yes, many other animals have similar organs.. sheep=brains, I've dissected monkeys, fetal pigs. monkeys, cats, all have similar human parts... Good luck in your studies. R/r 911 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPINFV Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 We don't have lab for anatomy at my school. My prof told us that the course is focusing on histology (basically getting us to the point where he can give us a slide of cells and have us identify it) and surface anatomy. In physio lab, we dissected frogs (cool little experiment where we took out the leg muscle, strapped it to a measuring device, and shocked it) and a sheep pluck (heart and lungs). In neuro lab, we are dissecting a rabbit brain and a sheep's brain, rabbit small intestance, siatic nerve from a frog, and do brain surgery on a rat (we're causing parkinson's disease in the rat). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnatomyChick Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 We did Cats in my A & P class (I think the thing that is most similiar about cats if my memory serves is their musculature)... it was pretty cool... we had the only male cat in the class so.. ummm we had to disect down to genitalia... as the entire class watched. :oops: We Also did Sheep Brain, Cow Eye, and something else (been a long time - and obviously I wasn't impressed ) It was amazing, and I really enjoyed it. The formaldahyde is an issue... if you can't take the cats, you won't be able to take a Cadaver. Years prior, right after I became an EMT, I was allowed to be a guest in the Gross Anatomy class at our local college (My friend was a nursing student)..... I didn't get to touch, but it was pretty cool... the smell was interesting though... LOL.. not one of those things that you soon forget. IF you have the oppourtunity it would be a good experience, but it honestly isn't imperative to your training. Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emilea PA C Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Almost all gross anatomy and cadaver anatomy dissections are done of a master's or higher level. Occasionally, you will see one as a 400-level class -- the reason? Well, if you ask most professor's of higher education they will tell you it is do the scarcity of the media that you will be using! Most undergraduate labs use cats or fetal pigs, it's not until you move to the "big leagues" that it becomes a problem! Coming from someone who had the opportunity to be a lab assistant in a cadaver lab, I will tell you that there are certain things that will freak you out! Every person is different though. I can remember on student who couldn't stomach seeing the head, so he covered it with a towel when he was working with the specimen. Another student couldn't deal with the hands, again, covered with a towel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asrnj77 Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 EMS 205 - Advanced Pathophysiology at Northern Virginia Community College uses a human cadaver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vs-eh? Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 My paramedic (PCP) program used full human cadavers in A&P during labs. We did not actively dissect them though. I believe this is the only program (BLS or ALS) that had them available. I'm not sure if they still use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoelEMT Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 My class was invited down to the M.E. office to observe an autopsy. - Not quite the same but allowed you to put everything in perspective as to location and size. Also, One of our instructors thought it would be "neat" (and it was) to get ahold of cow lungs and trachea for an airway lab. - He then intubated it and bagged it. It was very interesting to see the lungs inflate, the amount of air required to "achieve chest rise" etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UMSTUDENT Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 My A&P classes used cats both semesters, however, some universities do allow students to have exposure to human cadavers. A previous roommate, who eventually transferred to the University of Vermont, had an incredibly hard time transferring his Anatomy because UVM required that students have exposure to human cadavers. Some schools just have easier access to fresh bodies... When I started the clinical portion of my education I was informed that we would have several cadaver labs. I understand that this is unique to Maryland, unfortunately. I believe all of the paramedic programs here have access to at least one session where they can practice several different procedures, etc. Check with your individual state or program about the possibility of arranging some time with a human cadaver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRPGfirerescuetech Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 My education did not include a cadaver lab, however I took a position at a hospital based MICU where parrt of your job was operating as a morgue tech for daytime autopsies prior to 8am. In 5 years I caught the opportunity to do....50 to 60 posts. Something well worth the educational benefit if you can find the opportunity to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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