Finger Lakes Community College

I see many students struggle with managing, organizing, and applying the content in both Human Anatomy & Physiology. Over the years I have sought both formal and informal feedback that has shown a significant number of students reporting that they struggle visualizing 3D concepts and want more hands-on experience in this area.

Most students consider themselves to be more visual learners as compared to auditory learners.

In the summer of 2016, I came across a story by the media and technology company, Vocativ, in which Case Western Reserve University was featured for using holographic mixed reality technology (Microsoft HoloLens) to help teach their medical students anatomy. From that very moment, I knew I wanted to bring that technology into my A&P classroom.  It took 2 years, but I finally launched my first HoloAnatomy® Software class in Fall 2018, and have been using it ever since.

The 3D concept is not an easy one for students to grasp. Up until my HoloAnatomy^® Software use, for 3-dimensional thinking and problem solving to occur I had to rely on artificial models we have in the lab, dissections, and/or interactive web-based applications which in general are somewhat limited in their supply and scope. 

As an instructor, seeing students have that moment of discovery and awe over some aspect of the human body that they got to experience by walking around or putting their head inside a hologram, is incredibly rewarding. Developing in students a fascination and curiosity around course content is what all instructors strive for.

HoloAnatomy^® Software has given me the ability to pose questions or problems to students that I wouldn't have otherwise done before, because

I now have the ability to create a live-like representation of so many different anatomical relationships that students can actually walk up to, look into, observe, and discuss with one another. 

I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time I used HoloAnatomy® Software. It was so vivid and precise. The 3-dimensional full-scale nature that this technology delivers immediately enabled me to become a participant with the content rather than simply an observer. The evening after my first introduction to HoloAnatomy® Software I almost couldn’t sleep I was so excited about its potential!

A couple of semesters in to using HoloAnatomy® Software, I opted to run my first exam in lens. This exam focused on blood vessels. I distinctly remember the first time I saw the Circle of Willis in HoloAnatomy® Software. While I clearly knew what this set of vessels was, I had only really studied it in detail previously in 2D. This gave no representation of the angle of the vessels as they related to surrounding structures, and it was truly an “ah ha!” moment when I saw it and realized how differently it was oriented in the human brain (compared to what I thought).

Everything! Though honestly, not only the excellence of the product but the superb expertise and responsiveness of the team behind the product.  The HoloAnatomy® Software could be the best thing in the world, but if it has lousy support it will never be truly successful. 

Being able to easily show one or more anatomical structures first in isolation and then as they relate to surrounding structures is simply invaluable. Being able to toggle back and forth and show anatomical relationships is something I can’t replicate anywhere as effectively with any other product on the market.

My top 3 favorite things about HoloAnatomy® Software are:

1. Having the option of scaling images up to 200X
2. Being able to either use a stock label,  create my own, or place leader line “dots” anywhere on a structure
3. Most importantly customization of your teaching content, on one else offers this flexibility!