Anatomy Education Day: A Global Outreach

Education and Outreach forms a powerful two‐pronged approach that provides an effective strategy in addressing the basic educational needs of our high school students (HSS). Explanations for the lack of under represented students in the health care professions range from poor educational opportunities to a lack of exposure to medical institutions. Anatomy Education Day (AED) was sponsored by the AAA and supported by the AMSNY. It brought together the medical schools of New York State to offer aspiring HSS a glimpse into the world of anatomy. SUNY Downstate was the flagship institution that led the AED event on January 23, 2012 affording a hands‐on experience in anatomy that may have sparked interest in pursuing a career in the allied health sciences. HSS were shown human anatomy (heart, brain, lungs, skeleton) and learned about their functions. They presented what they learned to fellow HSS on their return to their schools so that the AED event had a multiplier effect of student exposure. The January 23, 2013 AED was expanded substantially into a worldwide outreach event involving 5 cities in 4 countries simultaneously exposing HSS to anatomy – a subject they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to explore. While the investment of this education outreach program may not bear fruit until years later, history may record the importance of the initial role AED played in assisting to establish diversity in the health sciences.