Anatomy Manual Created by P&S Students & Professor Now Available on iBooks

For the past three years, gross anatomy students at Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons have been using a dissection manual initiated by Columbia students who were dissatisfied with the classic “Grant’s Dissector,” first published more than 60 years ago and still in wide use.

Now the Columbia University Clinical Gross Anatomy Dissection Manual is available to anyone on iBooks. The fully interactive Multi-Touch book contains simple step-by-step instructions accompanied by photos of real dissections, a complete glossary for every bold term, and quizzes throughout. It opens on any iPad or Mac computer running OSX 10.9 or later (Mavericks). The first three parts—on the abdomen, thorax, and pelvis and perineum—are currently available, and the remainder should be available within the next two months.

Dr. Paulette Bernd, director of the gross anatomy program and editor of the dissection manual, says that students using it are less frustrated, rely less on faculty, and do better dissections—and they get better grades on both practical and written exams.

An article about the manual was published in the Spring 2013 issue of Columbia Medicine magazine.