Anatomy‐based Community Education Using Plastinated Organs

Community outreach is an institutional mission at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW); which has three campuses spread throughout Wisconsin. There are numerous outreach programs established at each location run by medical students. These outreach programs are largely targeted at middle and high school‐aged students, focusing on promoting physical wellness and fostering an interest in healthcare‐related careers. Extension of these programs to underserved students who may not be able to travel to an MCW site is of particular interest. Although each MCW campus has plastic anatomical models and fixed anatomical specimens set aside for these programs, both have hindrances for use in community education. Plastic anatomical models are a step removed from actual specimens, and do not fully represent the potential for anatomical variations. Although most engaging, wet formalin‐fixed specimens can be irritating to the eyes and respiratory system and must be handled in a well‐ventilated environment. Using funding from the Medical College of Wisconsin and the American Association for Anatomy (AAA), we created a small library of plastinated organs to use during community outreach programs. The plastination process consists of initial organ fixation followed by dehydration of the organ in acetone. Following dehydration, polymer is infused into the organ via vacuum‐pressure and the organ is ultimately cured using gas or UV‐light. These organs are odorless, non‐toxic hardened tissue specimens that do not decay and can be easily transported and handled freely at both on and off‐campus environments. For this project, 3 hearts, 3 kidneys, and 3 brains were harvested from body donors enrolled in MCW’s Anatomical Gift Registry program. These organs were plastinated and sectioned to highlight internal and external anatomical features. Plastination kits consisting of a heart, kidney, and brain (along with educational pamphlets describing relevant anatomy of each organ) were distributed to each campus. Following interaction with plastinated organs, program participants are asked to complete a survey about their learning and interactions with these specimens. All research involving human subjects undergoes strict review by MCW’s IRB. Since their recent implementation, these programs have reached 201 community students and are ongoing throughout the year at all campus locations. We are currently collecting and analyzing user perception surveys, evaluating what students learned during their interactions with the plastinated organs and their preferences for using plastinated vs. wet‐fixed specimens. Preliminary feedback has been positive, where MCW medical students have expressed these plastinates provide a beneficial resource for community outreach programs. Support or Funding Information Funding for this project was obtained through the following sources: AAA ‐ Education Outreach Grant and MCW Dean’s Programmatic Dollars.