Student Summer Projects to create learning resources: New Horizons in Professional Education conference, University of Bristol (19 November 2014)

Anatomy at the University of Bristol is taught using a variety of methods, but central to our teaching is the use of cadaveric material. Our cadaveric material is used alongside osteological specimens, radiology resources, cross-sectional cadaveric and pathological potted specimens, as well as a variety of handbooks and online learning resources. All of this material has to be maintained and kept up to date. Whilst this is relatively straight forward for online and paper based resources, for specimen based resources, this requires significant skilled and time consuming input. Students at Bristol do not get much exposure to dissection or creation of specimen based resources. Over the past 3 years, we have developed a set of paid student summer projects. A small number of students join us to learn how to create some of these resources. Selection procedure for these students has proven to be critical for achieving the highest quality work, for example dissection SSC prize winners. Students have created excellent prosections, potted specimens and skeletons which remain in current use for both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Several of the dissections have been submitted for prizes at the Institute of Anatomical Sciences Conferences.