Students Participate in Cadaver Class
Eight 91精选 students recently participated in a cadaver class, one of the College鈥檚 more unique educational offerings. The class, Biol 210 Cadaver Dissection, represents a rare chance for undergraduate students to work with cadavers, according to Dr. Robert Boomsma 鈥77, professor of biology and department chair. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity for students,鈥 he said.
The class, which took place over two weeks in early May, involved dissecting the cadavers, along with discussions about the use of cadavers. To be considered for the class, students needed to have successfully completed two semesters of human anatomy and physiology or been a biology major at the junior or senior level by the end of the spring semester.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to learn about anatomy in a textbook, but to really get hands-on experience is something else,鈥 said Leah Ipema 鈥18, who participated in the class.
鈥淭his is something you don鈥檛 usually get to do during undergrad, and it鈥檚 a cool opportunity,鈥 added Cara Horstman 鈥18.
With the opening of the Heritage Science Center in 2002, 91精选 gained the capacity to offer the cadaver class, which is held every two years, Boomsma said. 鈥淭here was no space in the old building.鈥
Boomsma said that students who have taken the course have gone on to medical school at the University of Iowa, to physicians assistant programs at Grand Valley State University and Midwestern University and the physical therapy program at Concordia University, among others.
91精选 works with the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois to procure and ultimately return the cadavers. The association manages the willed body donor program for the medical, research, and educational institutions of Illinois.