(HealthNewsDigest.com) – In a world ruled by cutting edge technology, is having the real thing still an advantage? New research indicates that college students trying to master the complexity of human anatomy will do better when working with cadavers as opposed to a computer simulation program. This translates into medical device marketing and training, as well. Recent studies prove cadavers beat out computers in a learning environment.

Working with Cadavers

In the United States, most universities still use cadavers when teaching human anatomy, but computer simulation has grown in popularity over the last decade. Schools in Australia and the United Kingdom no longer stock their training labs with cadavers and rely solely on multimedia learning systems.

The problem is that no computer simulation can offer the same experience as fresh tissue, especially when supplemented with a system such as the Pulsatile Anatomical Trainer. The PAT perfuses cadaveric specimens to mimic a working circulatory system, meaning medical professionals and students experience not only real anatomy, but working physiology, as well.

Universities recognize the need for cadavers when educating students. This same concept is true for surgeons or physicians trying to learn a specific product or procedure. A 2009 study conducted by the University of Cincinnati found that cadavers are a necessity in training that involves endovascular surgery, for example, because fresh tissue offers the perfect environment to master these skills. 

Cadaver vs. Computer Study

The September/October edition of Anatomical Sciences Education features a study that compares student learning using a cadaver versus a multimedia computer simulation program. The researchers monitored an undergraduate anatomy course with 233 students. One section of the class learned on a cadaver, another on a computer learning system. Both were tested on cadavers.

• Students learning on the cadaver scored 16 percent higher on the identification test
• Students learning on the cadaver scored 11 percent higher on the function test.

The educators found the higher score in the function, or explanation, portion of the test, surprising since the computer simulation does a better job of showing the physiology. After studying the data, the study authors concluded that students get a better overall understanding using real human anatomy rather than digital representations.  

Why Cadavers Matter for Post Graduate Training

A surgeon never really stops learning, because every year new devices and tools hit the marketplace. That means hours of practice to master a complex technique or training to use a new device. This is time well spent, because medical advancements improve patient outcomes. Given their busy schedules, medical device professionals need to offer the most effective and realistic training environments possible, and that cannot be found behind a computer screen. 

Platforms like the PAT, which merges fresh tissue with computerized perfusion, enhance the training even further. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery showed that perfused cadavers were an essential tool for surgical training.

The researchers simulated 38 procedures using a perfusion system and found it offered a more realistic environment for training. The use of this model improves the surgeon’s ability to master a technique and understand the potential complications such as bleeding.

Using modern technology to supplement product education will better showcase new devices or tools by enhancing the training model. The evidence does prove that cadavers are superior to computers for anatomical research and education. The human body is a diverse and complex structure. That means the natural environment is an essential part of the learning process. 

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About MedCure

MedCure is a leading non-transplant, anatomical tissue bank devoted to compassionate, ethical services that connect the gift of whole body donors to medical researchers and educators worldwide. MedCure also provides state-of-the-art surgical training laboratories for physicians to learn advanced surgical procedures through lecture and hands-on practice.

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