Friday, August 5, 2005

Biochem was a little more interesting today than usual. I think it's because I sat closer to the front than my usual spot near the back. I like the extra leg room I get in the back but it's difficult to see the powerpoint screens from back there. I think I'll move up closer from now on. The lecture covered how hemoglobin binds oxygen. It was more detailed than my undergrad lecture.

Following biochem, the entire class was split into four groups and we met with anatomy faculty to discuss a clinical case of muscular dystrophy. Every other week or so, it seems like we are going to go through a similar exercise. I kinda like it because it sums up and ties together all of the anatomy and histology we've learned during the last couple of weeks in a practical application. We were done an hour early so we got a 2 hour lunch.

As soon as lunch was finished we had a short lecture on the muscles in the back and the procedures for skinning our cadavers. By 2pm we were in the lab with scalpels cutting and removing skin and fat from our cadavers. The process was long but surprisingly fun. Our cadaver, Charlie, is skinny with thin muscles. Initially, we were a little too aggressive and cut through a couple of muscles. But, we got the hang of it and we were able to find all the structures we needed to find.