changes in the teaching of anatomy have nothing to do with cadaver shortages or public opinion about dissection; they have everything to do with time. Despite the immeasurable advances made in medicine over the past century, the material must be covered in the same number of years. Suffice it to say there's a lot less time for dissection than there was in Astley Cooper's day.
Mary Roach's book "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" explores the evolving landscape of anatomy education, highlighting that the changes in teaching methods are primarily driven by time constraints rather than external factors like cadaver shortages or public sentiment towards dissection. As medical knowledge has expanded significantly over the past century, educators face the challenge of covering an increasing amount of information within the same time frame as before.
Consequently, the emphasis on dissection has decreased compared to historical practices, such as those in Astley Cooper's era, reflecting the reality that there is now less time allotted for hands-on learning experiences. This shift implies that although technology and medical advancements have progressed, the structure of medical education must adapt to these limitations, reshaping how future doctors gain practical knowledge of human anatomy.
