Mendive. Revista de Educación, July-august 2020; 18(3):722-724

Translated from the original in Spanish

An invaluable teaching medium: the Photographic Atlas of Human Anatomy laboratory practices

Un medio de enseñanza invaluable: el Atlas fotográfico de prácticas de laboratorio de Anatomía Humana

Um valioso auxílio pedagógico: O Atlas Fotográfico da Prática Laboratorial de Anatomia Humana

Norma Hernández Escobar¹

¹ Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6445-691X, E-mail: normiluna67@gmail.com

Bibliographic record

Hurtado Ernesto Antonio (2019). Photographic atlas of laboratory practices in Human Anatomy. 
Editorial Evangelical University of El Salvador. 
ISBN 978-99961-331-2-1

The photographic laboratory practices Atlas Human Anatomy is a Manual for Anatomy course of the career of Medicine, subject receiving his second semester within the core area; carried out with the purpose of strengthening the teaching-learning process of the students, as a pedagogical tool for their laboratories.

Its author, Dr. Ernesto Hurtado is a graduate of the doctorate in Medicine from the University of El Salvador in 1998, he is currently head of the Department of Morphological Sciences of the Evangelical University of El Salvador (UEES), professor of Human Anatomy, Neuroanatomy, Embryology and Histology, not only of Medicine, but of a doctorate in Dental Surgery and bachelor's degrees in nursery, Nutrition and Dietetics. In addition, he is a researcher and chairman of the Committee on Ethics for Health Research of the UEES.

This manual of laboratory is carried out, according to the author, in memory of his mentor  Dr. Juan Ramón Alvarenga Inocente Andino (1927-2004), who trained many doctors in teaching and applying techniques of dissection, an invaluable legacy manager in the teaching- learning of this discipline, who was the founder and head of the UEES Department of Morphological Sciences.

It is noteworthy that the training processes and methodologies for future professionals are changing as technology and scientific advances, so the docent's are always looking for novel strategies for new generations that may influence the significant training of students.

For the tireless Dr. Hurtado, this work attempts the lack of specialized literature  for teaching careers in the area, from there it is structured according to the order of the study plan of the UEES, being this photographic atlas a support material, including other training institutions, since it supplies the problem caused by the lack of corpses in the laboratories of national universities and the increase in students entering the different fields of Medical Sciences.

It is designed for interactive labs that require the following of a sequence to identify anatomical structures, such as veins, arteries, nerves and muscles, from the flat surface to the deep planes. This dynamic helps to foster interest and learning in aspects that translate into better academic results for students.

The images were made in corpses found in the Macroscopic Anatomy laboratories of the Faculty; it has national accreditation for its operation and international accreditation to develop doctorate programs in Medicine.

This work contains photographs of corpses, as well as fresh anatomical pieces and human bones , which were obtained through agreements between the UE ES and the National Hospital, in compliance with the established technical norm for handling corpses, issued by the Ministry of health of El Salvador, specifically by its Vice Minister of health policy of the directorate of Regulation and Legislation in health, Environmental health Unit, strictly following the commandments of items that authorizes  the delivery of corps for teaching and  investigation.

There are fourteen laboratory practices, among them: back and neck; pectoral and armpit region; previous behavior of the arm and forearm; shoulder, elbow and radio ulnar joints; posterior behavior of the arm and forearm; gluteal region, posterior behavior of the lower limb ; anterior behavior of the lower limb foot; neck, triangles, vascular and nervous content; cranial norms, cranial cavity and meninges; fossa temporary, infra temporal pterigopalatine, region parotid; nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, cervical trachea, rib cage; thoracic cavity, lungs, pleura;  abdominal wall, abdominal cavity, peritoneum; posterior abdominal wall, renal system and pelvic organs, apart from male and female reproductive organs. This manual includes a detailed photographic that helps the student understand the generalities of the human anatomy, to be able to apply in its clinical practice.

Dr. Hurtado shapes the wonders of the body with amazing plasticity, since he affirms that human anatomy is an art that invites to do science. He explains the process of teaching and learning competencies may enrich with this atlas and current resources for meaningful learning in future health professionals.

This manual, which the Editorial of the Evangelical University of El Salvador makes available to students and teachers in the health areas, comes to strengthen the pedagogical strategies and tools that teachers need in their teaching.

Conflict of interest:

Authors declare not to have any conflict of interest.

Authors´ Contribution:

Authors participated in the writting process of this article and in the analysis of documents.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) Norma Hernández Escobar