Gallery Improvements

Anatomy classes of   2010-2011 dissected a cat.  Throughout the year, I took photos of the dissection.  I have begun the process of cleaning up the photos, deleting and categorizing so that I can improve on the galleries of this site.

Right now, the galleries are categorized by the main theme, usually a body system, but in some cases it may be an activity students did in class, such as the blood type analysis.  The galleries are hosted on https://picasaweb.google.com/ to save on  bandwidth load.    All gallery links are located in the menu (to the left).

I know the images of the cat dissection can be disturbing to some.  Keep in mind, these are advanced students who have “earned” a spot in anatomy class by passing other science classes.  Most plan to go into a medical field.  The cats are obtained via animal control where they were euthanized due to overpopulation.   These cats are not killed for the sole purpose of dissection.

Dissections serve as a valuable tool for learning anatomy.  Students can use models and computers to simulate dissections, but in the end there is no substitute for a three dimensional animal model.   During the course of the year, students learn about the structures and functions, and also learn to treat specimens with respect.  Ethics are part of any anatomy class.

In the future, these students will probably be working on human specimens to learn anatomy and complete a degree in a related biological field.