Anatomical variations in humans.

I developed my doctoral research in the anatomical variations of the branching pattern of the aortic arch, integrating the evaluation of 3D Computed Tomography Scan reconstruction, cadaveric specimens and human embryos.

A clinical application I envision is the insertion of anatomy in the medical clinical training. I collaborate with Dr. Yailis Medina, Associate Professor of the Ob/Gyn Dept. at UPR School of Medicine, in the development and implementation of an anatomical curricular component for the Ob/Gyn residents. We aim to design 3D anatomical modules that will allow the Ob/Gyn residents to review the pelvic anatomy and its spatial relations, which is challenging to the common learner and essential for the surgical management. The implementation and the impact of this academic instrument will be measured by the residents for the perceived benefit, and the faculty for the improvement in surgical and clinical performance.

For the upcoming years, I will focus on the integration of clinical activities in anatomy courses utilizing evidence-based modifications, promoting innovation in medical education. This project will become my first research project at the medical training level. In a timeframe of 2-3 years, I will start the implementation of a surgical approach to cadaveric dissection and evaluate students’ outcomes in summative evaluations, as laboratory exam, NBMEs and USMLE Step 1, as well as preferences between the surgical and classical dissection approach. As they move to the clinical years, I will evaluate if the students are able to integrate our surgical dissection method to clinical rotations during their third and fourth year.

Parallel to this project and in consonance with my clinical interest, I will further my research in anatomical variations, as 10% of clinical malpractice occurs because of the unawareness of such variations, usually present in academic cadaveric dissections almost every year. This will allow me to continuously prepare case reports; which can be published and presented as a poster or transformed into case study series.