Q: You’ve honed your educational skills at The Ohio State University, Western University in Canada, and now AUC. How would you describe your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is all about helping students build real understanding, not just memorizing facts, and one of the ways I try to do this is by making the material approachable. I use clinical cases, interactive tools, animations, and even things like sports injuries, TV clips, or surgical videos to show how anatomy connects to real life.
I also believe that learning should happen in a supportive environment. Especially in the anatomy lab, I want students to feel safe asking questions and making mistakes. That’s where the real learning happens. I’m not there to judge, I’m there to help them figure it out. And anyone who’s been to my lectures knows that even I don’t know the answer to every question, especially when it comes to more clinically oriented questions. I like to joke with students and say, “You’re the (soon-to-be) medical doctor, not me!”
In the end, I want students to leave my class feeling more confident, more curious, and better prepared for whatever comes next.
Q: How do AUC’s simulation labs and cadaver labs complement each other in providing a comprehensive and hands-on learning experience in anatomy?
Both labs offer something unique, and together they give students a much more complete understanding of anatomy. The cadaver lab is where students really get to see the complexity and variation of the human body firsthand, and it’s here that they truly grasp how structures are positioned and connected in the body—something that’s hard to appreciate from a textbook alone. It’s also where students start to develop professionalism, respect, and compassion, as they learn to care for the donors who made their education possible.
The simulation lab, on the other hand, helps connect structure to function. Students can see how the body works in real time and apply their anatomical knowledge in a more clinical, hands-on way. It’s also a great space to practice procedures and build confidence in clinical decision-making.
When used together, the cadaver and simulation labs help students connect the what, where, and how, building a strong foundation for both exams and real-world patient care. And I just have to say it: I’ve worked at a few different schools, and AUC’s simulation lab and anatomy lab spaces really are top-notch.
Q: In your anatomy courses at AUC, what inspired you to integrate interactive digital tools into traditional cadaver-based teaching?
Visualization is everything in anatomy. If students don’t have a clear sense of where structures are in relation to one another, it’s really hard for them to move beyond memorizing a long list of names. But once they see how things connect and fit together, the material becomes much more intuitive, and much more relevant to clinical practice.
The problem is that many of the traditional tools we rely on aren’t always designed with learning in mind. For example, textbook images often have 20 or more labels crammed into a single figure, which can be overwhelming and hard to process. And because they’re flat, two-dimensional views, students struggle to develop a real sense of depth or orientation. Cadaveric dissection helps a lot, but even in the lab, structures like arteries, veins, and nerves can look almost identical, especially to students who are still getting used to what they’re looking at.
To help bridge the gap, I started taking advantage of digital tools like 3D models and animated images. When teaching something new, I usually begin with simple, step-by-step 2D animations to introduce a concept, and then move into 3D so students can explore from all angles. We talk about orientation, spatial relationships, and how to “walk around” a structure mentally. After that, we’re ready to get into the lab and try to see things on the real deal.
One of the best things about 3D tools is how customizable they are. That flexibility makes them ideal for office hours. I actually use them almost exclusively in one-on-one sessions because we’re not locked into a slide deck or fixed image; we can go wherever the student wants to go. It creates space for deeper discussion and helps students take ownership of their learning. For many students, making the shift from memorizing small details to actually understanding the bigger picture changes everything.
Q: We’ve heard that you enjoy sharing clips of popular TV shows to discuss the accuracy of how clinical scenarios are portrayed. What are other ways that you make your subject matter relevant, interesting, and—dare we say—fun?
TV and movie clips are great conversation starters, especially when students can figure out what’s medically accurate and what’s not. And with platforms like TikTok, there’s no shortage of myths and misinformation to break down together. But beyond that, I try to make the material feel like a series of short, memorable stories. For example, when I teach liver function, I follow a Sour Patch Kid (not a sponsor) through the bloodstream to the liver. It’s a simple PowerPoint animation, nothing fancy, but it helps students understand how the liver filters, stores, and detoxifies in a way that sticks.
I also try to tie the content into things they care about. During the musculoskeletal system, we break down gym exercises, look at injury footage, and figure out which structures were likely damaged based on the movement. It helps them apply anatomy in a more practical way.
I don’t know if students would say they have “fun” learning anatomy, because at the end of the day, it's still a huge amount of content to digest. And if nothing else, I hope they’re able to digest it faster than a piece of gum. (Seven years, right?)
Q: What role do clinical case studies play in your anatomy courses?
Clinical case studies are incredibly helpful, and honestly something I’m working on incorporating more of. There’s not much use in students memorizing anatomy facts if they can’t apply them. At the end of the day, most patients don’t show up to the doctor’s office wondering about the six branches of the axillary artery, they show up because something’s wrong. Like the simulation clinic, case studies help bridge that gap between memorization and clinical reasoning.
While I sometimes open lectures with a case to set the stage, I’ve found that the anatomy dry lab is a great space to talk about them more deeply. The lab environment allows for smaller group discussions, and we’re not as pressed for time, so there’s more room for students to ask questions, work through scenarios, and really think out loud. It creates opportunities for students to make connections and develop clinical thinking skills in a more relaxed setting.
Q: Talk about the digital flash cards you developed for your anatomy class. How has this resource changed the way students at AUC study and retain anatomical knowledge?
Whether or not faculty believe flashcards are the best way to prepare future doctors, the reality is that a huge number of medical students rely on them to study. My thinking is, if students are going to use flashcards anyway, I might as well give them access to a high-quality, comprehensive, and accurate resource to work from. That’s what led me to create ComprehensiveCadaver.
It’s a cadaver-based Anki deck I developed specifically for anatomy practical exams. It has over 6,000 practice questions and more than 450 clean, de-labelled images from a wide range of trusted sources. What’s unique is that every image is focused on just one structure at a time, which helps students avoid the information overload that happens with heavily labelled textbook diagrams. Additionally, the deck is fully searchable and organized by region and question type, so students can easily find the content they need.
So far, the deck has been downloaded thousands of times (and probably shared even more), and I’ve heard from many students that it’s become their go-to study tool for anatomy practical exams. They’ve said it’s helped them feel more confident and prepared going into the practical because it makes studying more efficient and less cognitively overloading. While AUC students may not find ComprehensiveCadaver as useful right now given the format of their assessments, I do plan to integrate more of its content into the curriculum as those assessments evolve. I’m also planning to create a similar deck for histology, along with more clinically oriented and foundational decks that complement each of my lectures.
Q: You’ve created a “cadaveric video atlas” that includes detailed images and annotations. What inspired you to develop this resource, and how has it enhanced the learning experience for students at AUC?
The cadaveric video atlas was essentially created to make anatomy lab time more effective. When I was a TA at Ohio State, I noticed that lab sessions weren’t always the most productive, mostly because of limited donor access. With 10 students assigned to a single cadaver, only two or three could dissect at a time. The rest were often left trying to peek over shoulders, which isn’t ideal, especially in small, detailed regions like the hand. Since most labs have TVs around the room, I thought it could be helpful to convert the ComprehensiveCadaver images into a video atlas that could play while students dissected. I manually highlighted over 3,000 structures to help students better visualize where things begin and end. I then animated the highlights and labels to appear one at a time, giving students a few seconds to think before showing the answer. This helps reduce cognitive load and keeps them focused.
What I’ve seen is that students naturally gather around the screens, quiz themselves on the structures, and then rotate with those dissecting. It keeps everyone engaged, even when they’re not the ones holding the scalpel. It also sparks group discussion and gives students a chance to actively test their knowledge.
Additionally, the atlas has been useful for instructors. If a group is having trouble finding a structure, we can pull up the image on the screen and walk through it together. Once they’ve seen it clearly and talked through the nearby anatomy, they go back to the dissection more confident and competent.
Students have told me lab time feels much more productive with these resources. For example, one said, “It was really nice to be able to see structures highlighted on a cadaveric image ... I spent a lot less time studying some structures with all your quick and easy tips, explanations, and beautiful PowerPoints.” (Which is honestly relieving to hear, given the amount of time in my life I’ve spent in PowerPoint.)
Q: Dr. Abbott, you recently modified your question-asking strategy, implementing a "thumbs-up" method where students signal when they know the answer, allowing everyone more time to think. Once all thumbs are up, you randomly select a student to respond. How has this change impacted student engagement?
The change has had a really positive impact, and honestly, it came directly from student feedback. One student told me she felt discouraged when others shouted out answers too quickly because her brain just needed a bit more time to process. That stuck with me. I never want someone to feel left behind just because they think at a different pace.
So, I introduced the “thumbs-up” method. Now, students who might have stayed quiet before feel more confident participating. It also gives me a better sense of how the whole class is doing, not just the few who are quickest to respond. It ties back to how I approach teaching in general. I try not to just tell students the answer. I ask what they think, listen to their reasoning, and help guide them from there. The thumbs-up method just creates a more thoughtful, inclusive space for that kind of learning to happen.
Q: Anatomy labs are (necessarily) cold, sterile places. How do you help students feel at ease in such an environment, and how do you teach students to be respectful of the donors from whom they’re learning?
Anatomy labs can feel intimidating at first. As you said, they’re cold, sterile, and a little overwhelming. So, I try to set the tone early by reminding students that this is a low-stakes space. Mistakes are expected, and they’re an important part of the learning process. Accidentally cut a nerve while dissecting the upper limb? That’s okay, there’s always the other side of the body (though, no pressure to the students working on that one). And honestly, it gives us the perfect segue into talking about the clinical implications.
I also ask hundreds of questions each lab session. When a student gives an incorrect answer, I thank them for thinking it through; we talk about their reasoning and then work together to arrive at the correct response. It takes the pressure off and encourages more thoughtful participation. I also remind them that I truly don’t remember who said what. There are too many questions for me to keep track of, and the point isn’t to evaluate them but to help them learn.
And to be honest, hearing their thought process is really helpful for me, too. It gives me a window into how they’re understanding the material and shows me where I might need to adjust how I teach. With each semester that goes by, I get a little further removed from my own first experience learning anatomy. It becomes easier to forget what it’s like to be seeing this content for the very first time. Listening to students talk through their thinking reminds me that even the most basic facts still have to be learned before they can start applying that knowledge to more complex material. So, every semester gives me the chance to learn from my students as much as they’re learning from me.
As for the donors, I make it clear from day one that these individuals made an incredibly generous and selfless decision. I ask students to treat them as their first patients, with the same care, respect, and professionalism they’d bring into a clinical setting. That includes everything from the language we use in the lab to the way we physically interact with the donor. These experiences leave a lasting impression, and I hope they help shape the kind of compassionate physicians my students are working to become.
Q: What advice do you have for students who are passionate about pursuing a career in the field of anatomy?
First, that’s amazing, because we need more passionate educators in anatomy. Actually, we need more anatomists in general, especially in North America, where there’s a growing shortage. But the more passionate, the better. It’s one of the most foundational subjects in medicine, and yet it’s often one of the most feared. If you can help students feel a little more confident and a little less overwhelmed, you’ll make a huge impact.
My advice would be to stay curious, stay reflective, and be patient with both yourself and your students. There’s no single “right” way to teach, but what matters most is your ability to connect with learners and help them truly understand the material, not just memorize it. Keep asking yourself, “How can I make this more engaging? More approachable? More relevant?” The best anatomy educators I know are the ones who never stop learning—whether it’s from their students, their peers, or from experimenting with new approaches in the classroom and lab.
And if you want to pursue a non-teaching career in anatomy, that’s great, too. But don’t forget that even surgeons have to train residents, so these points are still relevant!
Q: When you have a moment to unwind, what are some of your favorite spots or activities in Sint Maarten?
When I’m not making PowerPoint slides, you’ll probably find me snorkeling with turtles, manta rays, or eagle rays in Grand Case; relaxing on some of the quieter beaches on the island, like Petite Plage or Baie Rouge; or grabbing a bite to eat at the “lolos,” a type of casual, open-air eatery common on the island. (Shoutout to Cynthia’s Talk of the Town.) I also love visiting the kittens at Island Cat Rescue in Maho, playing pingpong or basketball with my wife (spoiler: we’re bad at both), or just sitting on our balcony, listening to the sounds of whistling frogs and looking out over the calm lagoon.
Thank you, Dr. Abbott, for sharing your insights and experiences with us. Your enthusiasm for enhancing anatomy education and your innovative spirit are truly inspiring. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of your work on the next generation of medical professionals!
