What do anatomy demonstrators do?
Anatomy demonstrators teach human anatomy to students in the Human Dissection Room in the Centre for Comparative and Clinical Anatomy. Most students will be studying medicine but demonstrators are also involved in the dentistry teaching programme. Over the academic year, Demonstrators also teach external courses to students from other Higher Education Institutions, studying in allied health professions, such as physiotherapy and radiography.
Students at Bristol do not dissect, therefore the teaching approach requires that demonstrators help prepare prosections of human cadavera for teaching sessions. Demonstrators use these prosections (as well as models, radiographic images, pathological potted specimens and bones, etc) to explain relevant anatomy to the students. There is a detailed program of work that each demonstrator must cover in each session with his or her group of students. The Anatomy is taught with close regard to function and clinical relevance.
Demonstrators will also assist in the setting and subsequent marking of the Anatomy and Histology Spot examinations. Demonstrators see the students regularly and may sometimes be the first members of the department to notice if a particular student is having difficulties. Thus demonstrators also have an informal, but important pastoral role.