Anatomy Research and Design
D'Youville College
Department of Math and Natural Sciences
Masters in Anatomy required course
Semester, Year: Fall, Spring, Summer Semesters as needed
Instructors: Drs. Mary Hurley and Megan Gervasi
Level: Graduate
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Masters in Anatomy Program, Bachelor's
degree, or permission of instructor
Course Description: The student is to formulate an original anatomical project,
write a thorough narrative of the embryology, histology, and
comparative and gross anatomy of their topic, and a publishable
paper of their findings.
Course Objectives: The student should be able to use a library, acquire and
process specimen material, link the embryology of the material to
mature form and function, identify different tissues within the
material, and be able to write a publishable account of the study.
Rationale: A graduate student in Anatomy should be more than a walking
encyclopedia of parts and function. To fully appreciate the different
parts of the body, it is necessary to understand all the disciplines
within anatomy and see how each discipline relates to each part of the
human body. The ability to do anatomical research is a valuable talent
once the student has graduated and is in the job market.
Full Course Format:
A. Format: Students will choose an advisor, formulate a plan, and participate
in weekly seminar presentations of their progress with other
students. Much time will be spent in the library, the gross and
microscopy labs, and tissue processing facility to acquire the
background and data needed to make a viable project. This course will
overlap semesters because of the effort required for a quality result.
B. Course requirements: Required is the commitment of the student to
perform the work necessary to complete the research project. The
students are required to present their progress weekly in seminar
form, and to submit their findings for publication to a peer-reviewed
journal.
C. Assessment of students: Quality of the presentations at the seminar and
the results of the work will be given a grade by the student's advisor
Topic Outline:
1. Choice of advisor
2. Choice of project
3. Library research of project
4. Acquisition of tissue
5. Processing of tissue
6. Collection of results
7. Composition of a publication
Required Texts:
Library materials as needed