OVERVIEW

Anatomy is the scientific study of the structure of living things including their systems, organs, and tissues. The discipline of anatomy is divided into gross (Macroscopic) anatomy, microscopic anatomy (Histology), and developmental anatomy (Embryology). The Anatomy department started as a part of Rajshree Medical Research Institute with the vision “To Strive for Excellence in Anatomy”. The Mission statement of the department is to pursue a continuing level of excellence in teaching anatomical disciplines to all students in health-related fields supported by high-quality research.

Pedagogy & Facilities

In the Anatomy department, the pedagogy is mainly student-centric and employs various methodologies to teach problem-solving skills in the psychomotor and attitudinal domains. The gross structure of the human body is taught through lectures, cadaver dissections, study of bones, projected specimens, tutorials, quizzes, radiographs, charts and models. Teaching staff are not only efficient in teaching but also they are equally good in research activities. The department maintains a small student-teacher ratio and ensures that all students receive personal attention. Histology or microscopic anatomy is taught by lectures and practicals. The Histology Laboratory is well-equipped with individual microscopes and a set of slides for each student. Coloured, labelled photomicrographs are provided to aid the students in interpreting the more difficult slides.

The Anatomy department has a departmental library having books by Indian and foreign authors and national and international journals to enable the students and faculty members to keep updated with the latest changes and advancements in the subjects. The state-of-the-art Anatomy museum displays cross-sectional specimens, radiographs, skeletons of human and other vertebrates, radiographs and developmental anatomy models. The museum collection is laid out in sections of regional anatomy. The department museum has specimens and models made mainly by the students. There are self-learning and e-learning modules in anatomy for easy access to students.

Key Features:

  • Excellent teaching methodology
  • Various research projects in the form of short-term student projects, research projects, dissertation work, etc.
  • Well-equipped and spacious dissection hall and histology lab
  • Air-conditioned library with more than five hundred reference books for the subjects& allied specialities
  • Spacious museum showcasing specimens, charts, models etc.
  • Self-learning, e-learning modules in Anatomy developed for free access to students

Teaching –Learning Methodology

The course content in anatomy is delivered in two semesters of six months each and comprises of 680 teaching hours, adopting an integrated learning format in combination with other preclinical subjects e.g. physiology and Biochemistry. The faculty formulate the learning objectives based on the course objectives and use appropriate T-L methodology for training sessions, which includes didactic lectures, tutorials, lecture cum demonstration, interactive lectures, problem-solving sessions, flip classrooms and structured quiz sessions on dissection videos of different parts of the body. ?

Laboratory sessions include hands-on skill development for human body dissection, identification of dissected human body parts, histological characteristics of different cells and tissue preparation, osteology, radiology including X-ray, CT scan and MRI scan using Objective structured practical examination (OSPE), presentations of clinical case scenario, and debriefing of problem-solving skills.

Teaching-Learning Facilities

The department has been provided with an air-conditioned lecture theatre of 200 capacity equipped with IT-compatible LCD presentation facilities, conventionalOHP and whiteboard to facilitate blended teaching-learning sessions. For small group teaching, there are two demonstration rooms with 80 seating capacity.

For practising laboratory and clinical skills, the department of anatomy has a well-ventilated dissection hall, a cold storage room for cadavers, a histology lab, a well-developed museum having human specimens with catalogues, normal and abnormal X-rays, CT scans and MRI, well-marked assorted and loose bone sets for self-study of bones.

Course objectives and contents:

Goal 

  1. *The broad goal of the teaching of undergraduate students in Anatomy is to provide comprehensive knowledge of the gross and microscopic structure and development of the human body to provide a basis for understanding the clinical correlation of organs or structures involved and the anatomical basis for the disease presentations.

Objectives

(A) Knowledge

  1. At the end of the course the student should be able to comprehend the normal disposition, clinically relevant interrelationships, and functional and cross-sectional anatomy of the various structures in the body. identify the microscopic structure correlate the elementary ultra-structure of various organs and tissues and correlate the structure with the functions as a prerequisite for understanding the altered state in various disease processes.
  2. Comprehend the basic structure and connections of the central nervous system to analyse the integrative and regulative functions of the organs and systems. He/She should be able to locate the site of gross lesions according to the deficits encountered.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles and sequential development of the organs and systems, recognise the critical stages of development and the effects of common teratogens, genetic mutations and environmental hazards. He/She should be able to explain the developmental basis of the major variations and abnormalities.

 (B) Skills: At the end of the course the student should be able to

  1. identify and locate all the structures of the body and mark the topography of the living anatomy.
  2. identify the organs and tissues under the microscope.? understand the principles of karyotyping and identify the gross congenital anomalies.
  3. understand principles of newer imaging techniques and interpretation of Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan, Sonograms etc.
  4. understand the clinical basis of some common clinical procedures i.e., intramuscular & intravenous injection, lumbar puncture and kidney biopsy etc.

Integration

From the integrated teaching of other basic sciences, students should be able to comprehend the regulation and integration of the functions of the organs and systems in the body and thus interpret the anatomical basis of the disease process.

Outline of the Course Content:

The teaching hours for the total physiology course will be 480 hrs. which includes lectures, Practicals, Tutorials, Demonstrations and seminars. The broad distribution of teaching hours is as given below:

  •                 Course Contents                                                        
  •                  Didactic Lectures
  •                  Demonstrations
  •                  Dissection hours
  •                  Histology Practicals
  •                  Tutorials
  •                  Museum rounds for self-study
  •                  Group learning sessions
  •                  Seminars & Symposium
  •                  Integrated T-L sessions
  •                  Quiz session

EXAMINATION AND INTERNAL ASSESSMENT:  

Departments will conduct internal assessments based on performance in the first term, second term, and pre-university examinations after concluding each term. All students must take the university examination at the end of the year and secure 50% marks separately in theory and practical.