Students have all different ways of starting their morning. Some with a cup of java or a work-out at Helwig Recreation Center or hitting snooze a couple of times. But for both the science-driven major as well as any student interested in anatomy, the morning starts with access to North Park’s Cadaver Lab.
During the near-dawn hours, North Park’s Coordinator of Anatomical Resources Dr. Jeff Nelson leads visits to the Cadaver Lab—as early as 6:30 am. “This time of day is perfect for students to openly converse which also sets the tone for professionalism,” says Dr. Nelson.
Learning together early in the morning, when all is quiet on campus and classes have not yet started, distils distractions and focuses the learning experience on exploring anatomy. Supervised by Dr. Nelson, students meet two times a week and every three to four weeks where fellow students can see the work to-date and refresh their knowledge of anatomy. Dr. Nelson readily greets the groggy-eyed yet ready-to-learn undergrads from a variety of majors—psychology to art to health sciences—opening the doors into the world of anatomy where students learn by conversing, observing, handling, and exploring.
If a student is interested in optometry, they can study the eyes; if there’s an interest in physical therapy then they can look at the muscles. To keep track of the areas of the body already studied, students maintain their own logs. In the Cadaver Lab, it’s the students who are actually doing the work with the cadaver. “There’s an element of discovery and mystery that’s experienced during these wee hours of the morning that gets students to start thinking about their interests and career path,” says Dr. Nelson.
Dr. Nelson encourages students to have their own experience with anatomy. For many, being in the Cadaver Lab is about having their first patient experience and for others, it’s about what is yet-to-be-discovered. Modeling the peer-teaching style, students prepare to teach to their fellow classmates, a necessary skill developed in medical school.
North Park University is unique in having its own cadaver lab for undergraduate students. Located in the basement level of the state-of-the-art Johnson Center, the Cadaver Lab provides students with hands-on learning experiences found right here on campus. Before the Cadaver Lab existed on campus, students traveled to nearby hospitals such as Rush Medical Center to receive this sophisticated level of learning most often found in graduate schools.
“North Park is fortunate to have the Cadaver Lab on campus and the students really enjoy expanding their knowledge and skills alongside their peers,” remarks Dr. Nelson.
To participate in a Cadaver Lab session with Dr. Nelson, set your alarm and look for the sign-up sheet outside his office in the Johnson Center, room 020.