Anatomy

Prosections are human anatomical specimens that have been previously dissected by our expert anatomists to display and demonstrate specific structures, relationships, systems, and regions. They give medical students the opportunity to learn anatomy efficiently and view anatomical variations in several specimens.

Formalin-embalmed prosections

These prosections preserve key surface features of anatomical structures and permit these structures to be moved relative to each other to reveal important three-dimensional anatomical features and relationships.

Plastinated prosections

Plastinated prosections have had the body fluids and fat replaced with synthetic materials such as silicone resins. This means that they can be handled without protective gloves and can be used and reused indefinitely to demonstrate key anatomical features.

They are more rigid than formalin-embalmed prosections but offer an excellent opportunity for the indefinite preservation of important anatomical features and variations.

These high quality, anatomically accurate representations of human anatomy supplement and complement learning from prosections.

They provide the opportunity to hone your spatial abilities and to build on the understanding of clinically relevant anatomical relationships.

The models can be used outside the anatomy laboratory to facilitate learning in your PBL groups.

To support your anatomy learning, you will have access to the leading digital resources, including Complete Anatomy and Acland’s Video Atlas of Human Anatomy. These interactive three-dimensional visualisation tools can be accessed both in class and remotely, allowing you to explore and review anatomical structures and relationships anytime. 

Medical imaging is how most practising doctors engage with and view human anatomy in practice. We therefore use modern medical imaging modalities such as CT, MRI, and ultrasound to complement anatomical learning.

Using medical imaging enables us to reinforce the links between prosections and living anatomy, and to prepare students to actively engage with medical imaging in their clinical training and practice.

If you are interested in dissection, you will have the opportunity to carry out a detailed dissection of a region of the body and to study anatomy in depth within a clinical context as part of the Scholarship and Special Interest Programme, or in the elective period in Year 5.

You can also undertake whole body dissection as part of our intercalated Masters programmes, MSc in Clinical Anatomy or MSc in Clinical Anatomy and Education.