ANAT 599 Research Inquiry in Anatomy

Year 4 Optional Course

16-18 hours/week

6 units

Available

On-Campus Course

ANAT 599 is a course on collaborative research in the Anatomical Sciences. Students will use a team-based approach to devise a research question that addresses a gap in knowledge in the Anatomical Sciences. Research questions may include basic science queries based in human anatomy, and questions related to teaching and learning in the Anatomical Sciences. In small groups, students will develop and carry out comprehensive research objectives, and draft a complete manuscript of the summative work intended for publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal. Using the skills previously gained in ANAT 391, students will also produce a high-quality prosected human anatomical specimen. The goal of prosection is to dissect a specimen in a stepwise manner aimed at teaching the dissected structures. To develop proficiencies in online anatomical education and communicating complex anatomical concepts, students will be expected to use audio and visual elements to create a presentation highlighting the key features of their respective specimens.

If you are interested in registering in ANAT 599 course, please reach out to quanat599@queensu.ca and provide a copy of your unofficial transcript as well as a brief statement (250 words or less) of your scientific and professional interests and how you hope to develop relevant skills in this course.

Prerequisites

Minimum 4th year (level 4) standing, registration in a LISC Major or Specialization, or BHSc program, and a minimum grade of A- in ANAT 391.

If you are interested in registering in ANAT 599 course, please reach out to quanat599@queensu.ca and provide a copy of your unofficial transcript as well as a brief statement (250 words or less) of your scientific and professional interests and how you hope to develop relevant skills in this course.

Exclusions

Maximum 12.0 units from: ANAT 499/12.0; ANAT 599/6.0; BCHM 421/6.0; BCHM 422/6.0; BCHM 594/3.0; BCHM 595/6.0; BCHM 596/12.0; CANC 499/12.0; DISC 591/3.0; DISC 592/3.0; DISC 593/3.0; DISC 594/3.0; DISC 598/6.0; DISC 599/6.0; HSCI 591/3.0; HSCI 592/3.0; HSCI 593/3.0; HSCI 594/3.0; HSCI 595/3.0; HSCI 598/6.0; HSCI 599/6.0; LISC 499/12.0*; LISC 594/3.0; LISC 595/6.0; LISC 596/6.0; MICR 499/12.0; NSCI 499/12.0; PATH 499/12.0; PHAR 499/12.0; PHGY 499/12.0; REPD 499/12.0.

Method of Delivery

Blended format with materials, communication, and assignment submissions all via the learning management system as well as in-person lab sessions for practical work and presentations.

Learning Outcomes

With successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Create a detailed prosected specimen with clearly evident anatomical features and generate a video teaching peers about the key anatomical structures.
Critically develop a thoughtful research question and investigate discrete objectives, communicating the research results in a written summative manuscript.
Clearly communicate and critique, through iterative processes, what skills are required to become effective prosectors and educators in the Anatomical Sciences, through self-reflection and peer feedback.

Competencies

The course learning outcomes and assessments that correspond with the program competencies are indicated below:

Assessments

Assessment 1 – Prosected Specimen and Video (25%); Peer Feedback (5%)

This is an assignment with a practical dissection component as well as a presentation, where students will dissect a specimen for the purposes of educating others in an anatomical concept and prepare and deliver a high-quality video aimed at teaching students about key anatomical structures. Students will be graded on both the quality of the dissection as well as their ability to communicate clearly using effective teaching strategies. Students will develop the ability to provide effective and constructive feedback to their peers which is feasible and actionable. Students will provide feedback on a teaching video using instructor provided prompts. Students will be required to provide feedback for the video given the context of its potential to be used in a modern online course as well as their peer’s ability to utilize anatomical pedagogy to demonstrate and communicate concepts. Prosected specimen and video submission are cumulatively worth 25% and peer feedback is worth 5%.

Assessment 2– Pedagogical Reflection (10%)

This is a written assignment that requires students to critically evaluate their own experiences with prosection as well as research through a variety of open-ended prompts outlined by the instructor. Students will reflect on topics such as skills that they have gained, areas of improvement, human and animal cadaveric dissection, significance of their research, and impacts of knowledge gaps, among others. This is an individual assignment and student responses will remain confidential shared only with the course instructor.

Assessment 3 – Summative Manuscript (45%); Manuscript Peer Feedback (10%); Collaborative Peer Feedback (5%)

Part 1: Students will devise and carry out a thoughtful and complete research project under the mentorship of their instructors and through collaboration with their assigned research team. At the end of the course, students will submit a summative written assignment about their research objectives, methods, results, and significance of the project. The written document will be formatted as a research manuscript tailored to the editing preferences of an academic journal chosen by the course instructors. Students will have to delve into the peer-reviewed literature of their topic to justify the significance of their research and creatively develop solutions to complex research problems. Students will submit iterative and formative drafts of their progress (non-graded) as guided by the instructor, incorporating feedback into successive versions of the paper. The completed submission (graded) will adhere to the high standards of contemporary published work in the Anatomical Sciences and will be a culmination of the research team’s efforts throughout the duration of the course. This is a group assignment, though students will be graded individually based on the quality of their respective contribution to the manuscript. Manuscript submission is worth 45%.

Part 2: Students will develop the ability to provide effective and constructive feedback to their peers which is feasible and actionable. Students will provide feedback on a summative research manuscript, and the collaborative team-based research experience using instructor provided prompts. Feedback regarding the summative research manuscript will be given through the lens of an external reviewer of an academic journal, requiring students to think critically about the components of a successful published manuscript. Students will also provide feedback to their research team about the collaborative work environment fostered throughout the course, reflecting on skills that should continue to be developed through professional careers. Manuscript peer feedback is worth 10%, and group collaboration peer feedback is worth 5%.

Time Commitment

Students can expect to spend 16-18 hours per week in practical and take-home work for ANAT 599.

Textbooks and Materials

Required Resources: ANAT 599 learning modules provided on the course website.

Suggested Resources: In anatomy it is important to look at structures in various orientations to gain an appreciation and understanding of anatomical relationships within a region. Suggested resources are provided that can be used to support your learning. Material from these sources will not be directly tested. Some of these resources are available online or for check-out at the Queen’s University Library. You are not required to purchase a textbook for this course.

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