Anatomy classes at Life University officially switched from traditional cadaver labs to virtual anatomy labs with the addition of 8 Anatomage Tables. With the Tables, Life wanted to eliminate the chemical-filled classroom environment of cadaver labs. Students were able to have a hands-on dissection experience without the exposure to harsh chemicals. At the time, the university integrated more Tables into its courses than any other educational institution.

Life University’s curriculum mainly focuses on chiropractic education. The decision to adopt 3D dissection technology was motivated by wanting to improving curriculum design and have all students partake in lessons. This had been previously more challenging with cadaver labs due to student sensitivity to chemicals. With the Table, students had 2 hours in lab to review the week’s material as well as 12 hours of open lab time.

Both educators and students benefited from the Table’s curriculum-based features. One factor they took advantage of was the “undo” button which applies to any dissection feature. Resetting their work allowed for students to be more independent and explore the virtual cadaver’s anatomy without losing the integrity of the structure. The goal of using virtual technology in anatomy courses was to promote exploration without fear of students losing their work.

Anatomy courses mainly utilized the labeling and animation features to highlight specific structures on the full body cadavers. Once the students highlighted the structure, they were able to see the anatomical name. From there, they were able to remove superficial to deeply embedded structures layer-by-layer to understand their physical relationships.

Another aspect of the Table that was integrated into each anatomy course was the ability to view computerized tomography (CT) scans. The visualization options allowed for students to have a detailed understanding of body systems.