We’ve been offering Netter 3D Anatomy as a supplement to Patton Anatomy & Physiology at no added cost through the past few editions. Faculty and students alike have enjoyed the adventures they’ve undertaken as they explore the various regions of the human body using three-dimensional, dissectible images. That won’t change in the new 11the edition. Or will it?!The availability of Netter 3D Anatomy will still be there. And it will continue to be offered at no added cost to students. But it will be better in several ways. You probably already know the name of Frank Netter, the brilliant and widely respected anatomy and medical illustrator. Dubbed “the Michelangelo of medicine” by the Saturday Evening Post, Netter revolutionized how anatomy is learned and taught through visual depictions. His work is realistic, yet clear and uncluttered. And it is beautiful.Netter 3D Anatomy adapts Netter’s vast library of anatomical art to a gamification environment to make the study of Netter’s “virtual” anatomy highly engaging. The environment does this by melding 3D versions of anatomical structures with the ability to manipulate them in real time—thus adding the fourth dimension of time. Netter 3D Anatomy uses advanced gaming technology and interactive 3D anatomy models to learn, review, and teach anatomy. That’s still true, but many improvements have been made to the ease-of-access and functionality of the platform. Students using Patton Anatomy & Physiology will no longer have to create a separate account and login through a separate system. It’ll all be contained within the Evolve Student Resources that students already use—and have logged into—for all their other textbook tools and resources. As instructors, we know how important a single-login system can be for our students.Students and instructors will find that the ease of use of Netter 3D Anatomy has improved tremendously. We worked closely with the developer, wearing our teacher hats, then wearing our student hats, to make sure that any obstacles to easy use are eliminated. And we’re very happy with the results!Because each user is “in control” as they zoom, twist, pull apart, unwrap, peel away, and pan, this program also adds the kinesthetic dimension characteristic of the best “virtual reality” experiences. Users can add or remove labels at will. This multimodal approach implements principles of brain-based learning a a way that gives the user the enjoyment of playing an exploratory game.Professors can also use this tool in the classroom or lab to demonstrate anatomical relationships in a way that 2D illustrations, plastic models, and even dissection specimens cannot. For example, layers of the GI wall can be easily peeled away to demonstrate each coat. The skull bones can be pulled apart—then put back together—to help students quickly learn this tricky part of the skeleton. Something new in Patton Anatomy & Physiology is that we’ve added guided explorations to the Netter 3D Anatomy platform. These are developed in key areas with our own students in mind. They walk users through a specific set of concepts. This not only guides learning, it also gives students practice in using the platform so that they can be more confident about striking out on their own to explore other areas of the body.The really cool thing about using Netter 3D Anatomy as a teaching tool is that each student can recreate—and extend—this experience on their own during individual or group time! This is a perfect tool to use in remote learning. If you suddenly have to shift to fully remote, you students will already have an interactive tool they can use independently!Oh—did I mention?—Netter 3D Anatomy is provided at no additional cost to students!
