{"id":149534,"date":"2023-02-01T16:46:07","date_gmt":"2023-02-01T15:46:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=149534"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:37","slug":"in-anatomy-lectures-students-work-with-real-bones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2023\/02\/01\/in-anatomy-lectures-students-work-with-real-bones\/","title":{"rendered":"In anatomy lectures, students work with real bones"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the Anatomy lecture by Tom Ruigrok, students are examining the spinal column and learning the Latin names of the various parts. \u201cThe lecture is super interesting, but it’s hard to concentrate when you’re sitting next to preserved bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cWow!\u201d Student Jamie can\u2019t hide his sense of wonder. During the practical, he gently holds a human spine in his hand and touches the small holes in the bones through which the blood vessels used to run. The spine he is working on has been used in Erasmus MC for more than 30 years. \u201cIt\u2019s unbelievable how long the human body can stay in good condition when it\u2019s been properly preserved\u201d, he says.<\/p>\n

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Jamie is one of more than 30 Erasmus University College students who are attending their first Anatomy lecture at Erasmus MC today. Fifteen minutes before he and his fellow students enter the room, lecturer Tom Ruigrok checks whether the boxes with bones are complete in the cabinet at the back of the room.<\/p>\n

A student assistant picks up a preserved human head. \u201cYou get used to this when you do it every day\u201d, he responds to the serious look on the EM <\/em>reporter\u2019s face.<\/p>\n\t

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Lecture:<\/strong> Basic Human Anatomy, Monday 12.15 pm on the first floor of the Ee building of Erasmus MC<\/p>\n

Lecturer:<\/strong> Tom Ruigrok<\/p>\n

Subject:<\/strong> Spinal columns<\/p>\n

Audience: <\/strong>In addition to two skeletons, a plastinated human head and four preserved bodies, there are 30 students from Erasmus University College. Some of them would like to progress to study Medicine.<\/p>\n

Reason to follow the lecture:<\/strong> The fact that you can examine real skeletons and preserved bodies is reason enough. Plus, you need to wear a white doctor’s coat when you enter the room, so a Grey’s Anatomy vibe is guaranteed.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n

\u201cIt smells a bit strange in here, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d, says one student to another when they walk into the room at ten past twelve. The other student nods and looks around. On the left-hand side of the room there are four dissection tables, holding preserved bodies with white sheets over them. By the wall, there is a long cupboard containing all kinds of specimens, bones and plastinated body parts.<\/p>\n

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Skeletal system<\/h2>

\u201cAnatomy studies the shape and structure of the body and its parts\u201d, says Tom Ruigrok to kick off the lecture. There are two ways of doing this: regional and systemic. Regional means that you only study certain parts, for example only the head or neck. With a systemic method, you examine the entire system of the body, for example the digestive tract or respiratory tract. \u201cToday, we are studying skeletal system and working with spinal columns. In a few weeks, when we learn about muscles, we will be working on the preserved bodies\u201d, says Ruigrok.<\/p>\n

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He continues the lecture with an explanation of how the human body has evolved in comparison with other animal species. Student Warsan listens carefully. \u201cIt\u2019s a good introduction to human anatomy. It goes without saying that you need to know this when you study medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not far from Warsan, student Maaike is concentrating behind her laptop. Even though it\u2019s the first lecture, she already knows the lecturer a little. She has previously attended Ruigrok\u2019s lectures. \u201cI think he\u2019s a really good lecturer, he always explains everything very clearly and in detail\u201d, she says. Student Barbara adds: \u201cAnother really good thing is that he gives the lecture step by step. So you get an explanation first, and only put it into practice in the second part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018It\u2019s exciting to work with preserved body parts\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Curves in the spine<\/h2>

\u201cPlease be careful with the bones, they\u2019re irreplaceable\u201d, says the lecturer when the students start the practical after the break. Students work in groups to answer a series of questions. The first question: A human spine is not straight, but S-shaped. What might the function of these curves be? \u201cFor flexibility?\u201d, wonders student Sofia. \u201cThat could be right. Can you imagine how difficult it would be if our spine were straight?\u201d, responds Julie, another member of the group. \u201cPerhaps also so that other organs have space in the body?\u201d, adds student Shagnik.<\/p>\n

Lecturer Ruigrok: \u201cThe kyphosis<\/em> and lordosis<\/em>, the curvatures in the spine, form a kind of spring. When you get up and then sit down again, it has suspension in it. If the vertebrae were stacked like blocks, you would get much more wear and tear. In short, the spine is S-shaped to make it less easily damaged.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPauline Wiersema<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Dissection<\/h2>

Student Thom is delighted to be able to examine the spine. \u201cWorking with real bones helps me to better understand the subject matter and makes it clearer\u201d, he says. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to dissect the brain.\u201d Student Mo is also curious about dissection. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting to work with preserved body parts. But the smaller it is, the less aware you are that it\u2019s a preserved part of an actual human being.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In contrast to her fellow students, student Via is not as enthusiastic about the whole thing. She is studying Life Science, so she won\u2019t be progressing onto Medicine. \u201cI was actually surprised that we were allowed to examine real bones and bodies. I mean, we\u2019re just students, so I was expecting them to use a dummy for us.\u201d Does she find the lecture interesting though? \u201cAbsolutely, but I have to admit that it\u2019s hard to concentrate when you\u2019re sitting next to preserved bodies\u201d, she laughs.<\/p>\n

Thanks to Jos van der Geest for the tour and for making this report possible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t

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Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t