Elective Years 3 and 4: Anatomy

Anatomy

Diversification = Not classified

Minimum 2 weeks

University of Alberta Students: Kalyn McIntyre kalyn@ualberta.ca

DO NOT CHOOSE A PRECEPTOR WHEN SUBMITTING AN ELECTIVE REQUEST.  A PRECEPTOR WILL BE ASSIGNED

Visiting Medical Students: visitingelectives@ualberta.ca

Available to 3rd and 4th Year medical students.

A 2 to 4 week time period to review and enhance Clinical anatomy knowledge of Human Anatomy in any of the anatomical disciplines (Histology, Gross Anatomy, Clinical Anatomy, Neuroanatomy and Embryology). The student will be assigned a preceptor in the chosen area and given a specific project to be completed over the course of the elective.

** Please be specific in the areas of anatomy that you would like to cover when applying for an elective, for example Neuroanatomy, GI, upper or lower MSK, etc. This will help the department determine a potential supervisor for the elective.

The mark given will be based on a presentation done by the student and faculty assessment.

By the end of this elective, students are expected to be able to:

• Describe the anatomical region of interest. Describe all of the relevant anatomical planes and borders pertaining to this region. Describe the various tissue/fascial planes within this region, and their clinical significance with respect to spread and/or limitation of disease.
• Discuss the relationships of all organs and structures within the region of interest. Discuss the functional and clinical relevance of these organs and structures, both individually and in the context of their broader systemic activities.  What role do these structures play in the maintenance of homeostasis? How would trauma/disease involving these structures manifest functionally and clinically?
• Discuss the four basic tissue types of the body and explain the role they play in the normal and abnormal functioning of the structures within the region of interest.
• Describe the vasculature in this region and how this connects to the remainder of the body’s systemic vasculature. Describe the lymphatics within this region and how they connect to systemic lymphatic flow.  What is the clinical significance of these systems to homeostasis and what role do they play in the spread and/or limitation of disease?
• Describe the somatic and autonomic neural pathways that supply the region. Contrast between sympathetic and parasympathetic functioning and describe how this influences systemic autonomic activity. 
• Compare and contrast the structure and function of somatic and autonomic nerves involved in this region. Compare and contrast visceral pain with somatic pain. Explain the concept of referred pain. Describe the role played by somatic and autonomic nerves in the conduction of pain information from this region. Describe the clinical effects of lesions involving these pathways/nerves peripherally and centrally. How would a patient experience/interpret pain information arising from this region?
• Discuss some of the major clinical anomalies/complications that can arise from disease and/or trauma affecting structures within this region.
• Use diagnostic images to describe and correlate the relevant structural, functional and clinical anatomy within this region. Compare and contrast the different diagnostic imaging modalities.
• Demonstrate competency in their applied, practical anatomy knowledge by interacting with human cadaveric specimens to perform/describe relevant clinical procedures using best practice and/or documented methods and approaches.