Bow Valley College Biology 30/ Human Science Cadaver Lab - Allison Burstrom & Heather Skrapec (Students)

            As Biology 30 students currently attending Bow Valley College, we were offered the rewarding opportunity to attend the Post Mortem Lab at the Foothills Hospital. The two hour lab consisted of a guided explanation of five different cadavers, each with their own unique characteristics and access to a specimen gallery. The most intriguing subject we examined had a condition known as Situs Inversus, where the organs of the body are mirrored perfectly in contrast to someone without this abnormality. For example, the heart of this man was situated on the right side of his chest cavity, as opposed to its normal place on the left. We were also shown a horseshoe kidney, another very fascinating organ where the kidneys did not split during fetal development. As a result it is unusually larger than normal and presents two renal pelvises instead of one.

Not only was this experience engaging in its presentation, the hands-on aspect promoted a more intimate involvement from the students. We were encouraged to inspect the cadavers which gave us the opportunity to test our knowledge and further our understanding of human physiology. Particularly in the third cadaver, the female subject had been divided by a sagittal incision through her body. This gave us the ability to clearly view the pathways of her internal organs. One of the most awe inspiring realities we took away from this cadaver was the size of a human uterus. We were amazed by how small it was within the body in comparison to pictures in the textbooks we study from. This new understanding is one of many aspects that add significant value to the Post Mortem Lab.
Following the examination of the cadavers, we were brought into the specimen gallery. This room was filled with various organs that presented different conditions and diseases. This section of the lab was critical as we are presently studying some of these disorders and found it extremely educational to be able to view them first-hand.
Overall, this once in a life time chance was truly memorable. With the knowledge we gained through this experience, we are extremely excited to carry on our careers in the medical field. We are thankful to both the Foothills Hospital and Bow Valley College for providing this opportunity.