Statement of Policy - Medical Gross Anatomy
2009
 

Medical Gross Anatomy is a clinically-oriented course which deals with human anatomical structure and its relationship to the function and dysfunction of the human body.  The acquisition of this knowledge will serve to form the basis of future clinical practice.

The major part of this course is devoted to dissection of the human body.  This dissection is supplemented by specific lectures.  Additional lectures on radiographic anatomy and on cross-sectional anatomy are also integral components of this course.  Three hands-on clinical sessions (Cadaver Procedure Labs) demonstrating clinical procedures on unembalmed cadavers contribute to and strengthen the clinical emphasis of the course.

Electronic communication via email has become the standard in medical education and clinical practice.  Students should check email daily for course announcements and scheduling information.  24-hour advanced email notification shall be deemed sufficient notice for any and all official course activities.  All students will be accountable for any information disseminated 24-hours in advance by email.


PROFESSIONALISM:

You are now in professional school.  By being accepted into LSU Medical School, you and your fellow classmates are beginning a journey toward a profession that will earn you respect and numerous benefits.  During your four years here you will be expected to learn a lot of material.  But, there is more to being a medical student than just learning a lot of facts.  You will also be expected to acquire and display characteristics of professionalism.  As anatomy faculty, we will not only teach you gross anatomy, the foundation of medicine, but we will also monitor your expression of professional attributes.  You will be asked to perform a self-assessment during the course.  Some of the aspects of professionalism to be assessed include the following:

• Responsibility/Accountability:  Do you complete your dissections on time?  Do you arrive at lectures on time or are you habitually late?  Do you read your assignments on a regular basis?  Do you come to examinations with your laptop prepared to take the exam or do you show up with broken internet cables, inappropriate software, updates not installed?
   
• Respect for Patients:  Do you display respect for the cadaver, your first patient?  Do you treat fellow students and faculty with respect?
   
• Teamwork:  Do you interact with your laboratory partners, whom you probably never have met before, as a member of a team working together to accomplish specific goals?
   
• Social Responsibility:  Do you assist those who are not doing as well as you?  Is your appearance and dress appropriate?  Do you display enthusiasm for learning?

 ATTENDANCE:

1.  LECTURE:  Attendance is mandatory.  Each student is responsible for all information presented in each gross anatomy, radiographic anatomy and cross-sectional anatomy lecture.  This includes dissection procedural changes, special announcements, textbook errors and schedule changes.  Lectures begin promptly on the hour.  Out of courtesy to the lecturer and your fellow students, you are expected to be in your seat at the prescribed time.

2.  LABORATORY:  Attendance is mandatory.  A record of absences for both lectures and laboratories will be made and forwarded to the Dean of Student Affairs for incorporation into your file.  Laboratory begins approximately fifteen (15) minutes following each lecture.  If no lecture is scheduled, laboratory begins at 8:00 AM.

Dissections will be evaluated periodically for completeness.  Failure to fully participate in the dissection at the assigned times is grounds for receiving a failing grade in this course.

For the purposes of scheduling and conducting cadaver procedure laboratories, students will be assigned to dissection teams "A" or "B".

In order to establish a relationship with the cadaver, each dissection table group will be required to submit a narrative, listing any interesting or unusual characteristics of the individual, e.g. surgical scars, tattoos, etc. and any variations observed during the dissections throughout the semester.  Included in this document should be any surgical procedures observed and any pathological observations.  The goal of this exercise is to develop a profile of this, your first patient.  This narrative is due prior to receiving your final grades, approximately three weeks after the final examinations.

3.  EXAMINATIONS:  ATTENDANCE at all scheduled examinations is mandatory.  Any student absent from an examination because of illness must have in writing from his/her physician an explanation of his/her illness that justifies his/her absence on the exam day before a remake examination will be given.  All make-up examinations must be taken no later than one week after the student returns to class.  No exceptions! Make-up examinations will consist of an essay written and an oral practical.  Absence from an examination for other reasons must be excused by the staff before the time of the scheduled examination or be brought about by a very serious circumstance.  Unexcused absence from an examination results automatically in a score of ZERO for that exam.

4.  LAPTOP COMPUTER POLICY:  The Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy will adhere to the 'Student Laptop Policy' approved by the Dean.

Since all lecture examinations are computer-based, we have adopted the following laptop policy: 

Student Responsibility for Maintaining and Using Their Laptop Computers

Your laptop computer is as much a part of the equipment required for use in medical school as is your stethoscope and ophthalmoscope.  As such it is your responsibility to maintain your laptop in good working order at all times and it is mandatory to run a complete check before each exam.  In addition, it is necessary that you check your e-mail daily as electronic communication is the standard for information dispersal at the LSUHSC.

In order to assure that you are in compliance, the following guidelines has been established:
A.  Your laptop must be updated regularly with all Microsoft critical updates and all patches required by LSUHSC School of Medicine Computer Support.  In addition, it must be maintained virus free, spy-ware free, and have no software which could conflict with Questionmark Secure when it is up and running.

B.  It must be kept in good working order.  This means that power cords must be functional and frayed or broken network cords must be replaced immediately; this is especially critical prior to sitting for an exam.

C.  Your network NT account must be maintained in good standing and passwords changed according to NT security policy.

D.  Locked-out account issues must be resolved prior to sitting for any exam.

E.  A week prior to every exam, logon at school and take the Pre-Exam Laptop Quiz to make sure you can access the graphics, etc. that are built into the exams.

F.  Bring your laptop, power cord, and a working network cable to all exams.

G.  Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in the following:  1st offense - a written warning, 2nd offense - a 5 percentage point reduction in score, e.g. a score of 97% would be reduced to a score of 92%; 3rd offense - a 10 percentage point reduction in score.

IT IS EXPECTED THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL MAINTAIN A HIGH STANDARD OF HONESTY.  During examinations, any verbal or written communication will be with the examination proctors only.  If the proctors feel that your actions suggest that you are copying answers from another student or engaged in similar acts of cheating, their responsibility is to seek other witnesses and gather all available evidence in an attempt to determine whether or not you are cheating.  You will, therefore, not be confronted or moved during the examination.  Because no material (including calculators) is allowed at your examination seat, any extraneous material seen in your possession will be confiscated.  Refusal to give such material to a proctor upon request will be construed as an attempt to cheat.  In all cases, you will be allowed to finish the examination.

5.  EVALUATION:

A.  COGNITIVE
Examination material is taken from the following sources:  the laboratory dissection assignments, the lectures, the required texts and any associated CD-ROMS, the cadaver procedure labs, and the Diagnostic Reasoning (DxR) cases.  Lectures to be tested include gross anatomy, radiographic anatomy, and cross-sectional anatomy.  The student is resonsible for all assigned text material.  Comprehensive learning objectives are available on the Medical Gross Anatomy web site.  Three sectional written and practical examinations will be given.  All examinations will be comprehensive.  The value of each exam with respect to the final grade is as follows:
 

Examinations will NOT be returned, however, you will receive a computer printout of your score.  A score of Honors (90-100), High Pass (84-89), Pass (70-83), or Fail (<70) will be indicated.  An evaluation of the progess of each student will be made during the week following each of the first two sections exams.  Students with a failing grade are expected to contact the Course Director to schedule a personal interview to discuss deficiencies and proposed plans to remedy these deficiencies.

B.  FINAL GRADE:
Your final grade will be Honors (H), High Pass (HP), Pass (P), or Fail (F).  The minimum passing grade is 70.