Dr Scott Abbott Paterson
PhD, MSc (by Research), BSc (Hons)
Expertise
Scott is an academic anatomist with expertise in functional & clinical human gross anatomy. He has specialist & research interest in the sex & gender/inclusivity in anatomy, forensic anatomy, cartilage biology & anatomy education
Current positions
Associate Professor in Anatomy
Bristol Medical SchoolAssociate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching Enhancement)
Education and Student Success Management
Contact
Press and media
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Biography
During his upbringing in Orkney, surrounded by sites of archaeological significance, Scott became fascinated by the study and examination of human skeletal material. This led to him pursuing both a BSc(Hons) in Forensic Anthropology and MSc(By Research) in Forensic Human Identification at the University of Dundee’s Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, under renowned Forensic Anthropologists Prof. Dame Sue Black and Prof Caroline Wilkinson. During his MSc on postmortem change and time-death-interval estimation, he completed an Internship at the Netherlands Forensic Institute.
Scott worked as an Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology demonstrator and tutor at the University of Dundee during his MSc, developing a passion for education. At the same time he completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education and became an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Scott’s PhD Thesis on iatrogenic injury to cartilage during surgery was completed at the University of Edinburgh, where he also worked as an anatomy educator teaching MSc Human Anatomy and MBChB students. During this time he pursued further studies in academic practice. This passion for anatomy and anatomy education led Scott to a lecturing post at the Centre for Learning Anatomical Sciences (University of Southampton) on Graduation, before moving to the University of Bristol in 2016.
Scott became School Education Director for Anatomy in March 2020.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Juvenile Osteology: Estimation of Age in the Juvenile Cranium
Principal Investigator
Description
BSc Applied Anatomy Dissertation (2020-2021)Managing organisational unit
School of AnatomyDates
01/10/2020 to 31/05/2021
Queering Anatomy: The Anatomy of the Genitalia
Principal Investigator
Description
BSc Applied Anatomy Dissertation (2020-2021)Managing organisational unit
School of AnatomyDates
01/10/2020 to 31/05/2021
Why do you Tweet? The Use of Social Media by Academic Anatomists
Principal Investigator
Description
Project ongoingManaging organisational unit
School of AnatomyDates
01/03/2020 to 01/03/2021
Juvenile Osteology: Curation and Creation of a Skeletal Collection Database
Principal Investigator
Description
BSc Applied Anatomy Dissertation (2019-2020)Managing organisational unit
School of AnatomyDates
01/10/2019 to 31/05/2020
The Anatomical Basis of Cleft Lip and Palate Repair
Principal Investigator
Description
iBSc Functional and Clinical Anatomy Dissertation (2019-2020)Managing organisational unit
School of AnatomyDates
01/10/2019 to 31/05/2020
Publications
Recent publications
01/01/2025Guided Anatomy: Embedding Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Teaching and Research at Bristol
Biomedical Visualization
The Evolution, Implementation, and Impact of Representative Research Practices in Anatomy
Biomedical Visualization
Collaborative, Two-Directional Live Streaming to Deliver Hands-on Dissection Experience during the COVID-19 Lockdown
Biomedical Visualisation
Anatomy inspired creative pieces based on clinical practice experiences
Collaborative, two-directional live streaming to deliver hands-on human and canine cadaveric dissection experience during the COVID-19 lockdown
Teaching
Scott is an Associate Professor and the School Education Director (SED) at the School of Anatomy. Scott is a passionate and innovative educator who has been nominated for a Bristol Teaching Award for Outstanding Teaching multiple times.
As SED, Scott is responsible for the quality of the academic provision within the School of Anatomy and, working closely with the Head of School and Faculty Education Director, provides leadership for the School’s educational activity.
He is currently the programme director for the iBSc in Functional and Clinical Anatomy (FCA) and previously led the anatomy delivery in Foundations of Medicine (MBChB) having redesigned its content in 2016/17.
In addition, he designs, organises, and delivers content across the School’s undergraduate and postgraduate provision. With specialist interest in the anatomy of sex and gender, and forensic anatomy, Scott runs seminars on these subjects in the third year of the AA and FCA programmes, as well as regularly guest lecturing at the University of Edinburgh, Hull York Medical School, and other Higher Education Institutes.
Scott is a supervisor and examiner for dissertations in the school (BSc Applied Anatomy and iBSc Functional and Clinical Anatomy). Recent example titles for his project supervision include: Queering Anatomy, the Anatomy of the Genitalia (2021, BSc AA); The Anatomical Basis for Sex Segregation in Sport (2019, BSc AA); Age Determination from the Juvenile Skeleton (2021 2020, BSc AA), Post-mortem Diagnosis of Brain Disease: The Use of Virtual Autopsy in Death Certification (2019, iBSc FCA).
Scott is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and member of the Anatomical Society.
