Clinical anatomy focuses on specific structures and problems encountered in a clinical setting. Physicians routinely study and take refresher courses to maintain their anatomy skills and familiarize themselves with new techniques. General anatomy is beneficial for medical professionals, and medical schools require students to take a course in their freshman year. Clinicians apply general anatomy skills to specific clinical situations, allowing them to diagnose and treat patients. Physicians supplement their general anatomy courses with specific clinical anatomy classes, and professional organizations for physicians often have a clinical anatomy section that publishes a journal and provides other opportunities for physicians to brush up on anatomy that pertains to their specialty.
Clinical anatomy is the study of human anatomy in relation to clinical practice. Instead of being designed for someone to gain general anatomical knowledge, clinical anatomy focuses on specific structures and problems people may encounter in a clinical setting. Many physicians, especially surgeons, routinely study clinical anatomy and take refresher courses so that their anatomy skills remain high and so that they can familiarize themselves with new techniques in their fields.
The general study of human anatomy can be very beneficial to many people working in the medical profession, as it allows them to explore the structures of the body and how the body’s systems interconnect with each other. Many medical schools require their students to take a course in general anatomy in their freshman year, and medical students are routinely tested on anatomical knowledge.
In clinical anatomy, clinicians acquire general anatomy skills and apply them to specific clinical situations. For example, an ophthalmologist relies on his knowledge of the anatomy of the eye to diagnose and treat patients, and may use photographs, anatomical specimens, and other means to familiarize himself with the structures of the eye. Knowledge of clinical anatomy allows someone to make note of an anatomical abnormality and is used as a guide for all manner of medical procedures, from heart valve replacement to splinting a broken bone.
Many physicians supplement their general anatomy courses with specific clinical anatomy classes as their education progresses and they choose specialties. Medical schools and research facilities also hold periodic continuing education courses for qualified medical professionals who want an opportunity to work in an anatomy laboratory and to explore anatomy taking into account their clinical experiences. For example, knee reconstruction surgeons might periodically dissect cadaver knees to remind themselves of all knee structures and to familiarize themselves with the range of variations that can be observed in the human knee.
Professional organizations for physicians often have a clinical anatomy section that publishes a journal, lectures, and provides other opportunities for physicians to brush up on anatomy that pertains to their specialty. These organizations may also conduct research to further understanding of clinical anatomy and develop new techniques, treatments and protocols in light of this increased knowledge. Long-term study of clinical anatomy can also provide revealing information about trends in human health, such as accumulations of particulate matter seen in the lungs of many urban residents.
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