Anatomy facility gets a facelift
The University’s medical students, along with other students from selected departments, will now better appreciate a more conducive learning environment at NUS Anatomy’s expanded and improved teaching facility.
The NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine’s (NUS Medicine) renovated facility, which took six months to refurbish, was officially opened on 17 March by Guest-of-Honour Singapore Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong. Mr Gan later graced the launch of the 7th Asia Pacific International Congress of Anatomists, a three-day event attended by some 300 anatomy teachers and researchers from more than 30 countries.
“The newly refurbished teaching facilities at the NUS Medical School’s Department of Anatomy will benefit both undergraduate students as well as practising healthcare professionals. All of them now have the opportunity to revise and reinforce their knowledge of anatomy in their respective areas of specialisation,” said Mr Gan.
Making reference to those who had chosen to donate their bodies for the benefit of science and society, he added, “We are deeply indebted to Singaporeans who have chosen to donate their own bodies as cadavers, to further the cause of medical education, research and patient care by their last act.”
The 30-year-old facility has now been expanded by 16 per cent to accommodate the 800 Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy and Life Sciences undergraduates attending Human Anatomy practicals.
Year 1 Medicine students attend weekly anatomy practicals for two semesters
It is equipped with amenities such as:
- An enlarged, well-ventilated hall for anatomy prosection classes, during which visuals of dissected specimens can be projected on large TV screens, with commentary delivered via an enhanced audio-visual system
- Anti-slip flooring and improved lighting in areas such as the new dissection and embalming rooms
- New-generation trolleys equipped with downdraft suction systems to minimise formalin exposure
- Refurbished mortuary to accommodate more cadavers
- New visitor reception area for families and loved ones of deceased body donors, and other visitors
The dissection and embalming areas have now been separated from the general teaching area so that prosectors can better carry out specimen preparation.
“The works are timely, because our student numbers have gone up over the years and we want to provide them and our staff with a more conducive learning and teaching environment,” explained NUS Anatomy Head Professor Bay Boon Huat.
NUS Anatomy will reintroduce the dissection elective posting for Year 4 NUS Medicine students, and offer new workshops for residents and specialists.
Year 1 NUS Medicine student Michelle Khoo Shi Qing found that the facility enhanced her experience in learning about the human body, “It’s really useful because we can learn something that we can’t get from a lecture or from interactive teaching materials.”
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