During the MS1 year, Dell Med students have lab during the Medical Neuroscience and Structure and Function Blocks. Cadaver labs are an essential part of every medical school anatomy class, and that is no different here at Dell Med.

Students have lab for 4 hours on either Wednesday or Thursday afternoon from 1:00 – 5:00 PM. Each lab day of 25 students is broken up into 4 teams of 6 or 7 students, and each lab day is divided up into 4 hour long stations. The different teams rotate between each station throughout the four hours, so every team gets a small group learning experience with each station.

A typical day in lab includes a Radiology station, a Physiology station, a Gross Anatomy station, and then an additional station of either Gross Anatomy, Histology, or Clinical Application of the week’s material. Each station is taught by an expert in that field. In addition to Dr. Miller (Anatomy professor), Dr. Silverthorn (Physiology professor), Dr. Taboada (Radiologist), and Dr. Rampy (Pathologist) who are involved basically every week, Dr. Miller often brings in Neurosurgeons, Plastic Surgeons, and other relevant physicians to give a focused, clinical station in lab. Stations are also extremely participatory — the instructors do a great job at getting the medical students involved in their learning. So be sure to come prepared!

One thing that is unique about lab at Dell Med compared to other Texas medical schools is that the Gross Anatomy portions of lab involve prosections, not full dissections by medical students. This allows for efficiency in learning, enabling the instructors to dissect each cadaver exactly how they want the body to be dissected so that students know they will be able to observe important structures extremely well. This allows for more freedom both outside of lab for other forms of learning and also in lab to learn about Radiology, Physiology, etc. Additionally, students are allowed to volunteer to dissect! So if you still feel like a full dissection would be important to your learning, you can volunteer on Monday afternoons and Tuesday mornings to help the instructors with the week’s dissections.