COVID‐19 and anatomy: Stimulus and initial response

The outbreak of COVID-19, resulting from widespread transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, represents one of the foremost current challenges to societies across the globe, with few areas of life remaining untouched. Here, we detail the immediate impact that COVID-19 has had on the teaching and practice of anatomy, providing specific examples of the varied responses from several UK, Irish and German universities and medical schools. Alongside significant issues for, and suspension of, body donation programmes, the widespread closure of university campuses has led to challenges in delivering anatomy education via online methods, a particular problem for a practical, experience-based subject such as anatomy. We discuss the short-term consequences of COVID-19 for body donation programmes and anatomical education, and highlight issues and challenges that will need to be addressed in the medium to long term in order to restore anatomy education and practice throughout the world. The emergence of infectious diseases with the potential to spread rapidly among the human population, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Zika virus, presents a major threat to global public health (Wolfe et al., 2007; Ventura et al., 2016). However, the recent arrival of a severe respiratory disease, first reported in Wuhan city (Hubei province) China in December 2019 (Wu et al., 2020, Zhu et al., 2020), has generated an unprecedented global response. COVID-19 is caused by a novel and highly pathogenic coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that is easily and rapidly transmitted through respiratory droplets (Wu et al., 2020, Zhu et al., 2020). The highly contagious nature of COVID-19, and the potentially life-threatening nature of symptoms for an affected individual, has led to widespread, global attempts to control person-to-person contact and disease spread within and between populations (Wilder-Smith et al., 2020). One major consequence of the ensuing political decisions has been a closure of most university campuses, and with them medical schools and anatomy units/departments. In the following review of actions taken after the COVID-19 outbreak, information was collated from the following 10 universities: Ireland: National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). Scotland: Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. England: University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University of Oxford. Germany (Bavaria): Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). Although there is no a priori rationale for claiming these universities are representative of all affected European universities, the similarities of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that in this respect at least, they might be. The challenges that have arisen, and/or are likely to arise, over the coming months and years are outlined, and the immediate decisions taken, the rationale for them and their effects are described on an institution-by-institution basis. In the final section, possible longer-term effects and challenges are also discussed. The Principal of the University announced University-wide lockdown on 13 March, to be in place by 20 March. This affected teaching sessions for c.800 undergraduate students on medical, dental, physician associate and science programmes. Fortunately, the majority of practical teaching was able to be completed prior to lockdown, except for Year 3 Medicine students who would have returned after the Easter vacation. The practical element of two, ongoing blended anatomy postgraduate courses was also suspended. At the same time, several surgical skills courses catering for c.100 delegates had to be cancelled. Postgraduate (PhD) student work on cadaveric material also ceased. All anatomy staff commenced working from home by 20 March, and the anatomy building closed to all but essential staff, which comprised two licensed teachers and two technicians. The extensive collection of prosected cadaveric material and freezer content was monitored weekly. As the building is shared by the University and the National Health Service (NHS), it was immediately opened for essential training which was coordinated by staff in the Clinical Skills Centre. To date, no requests have been forthcoming for assistance with mortuary facilities. The Anatomy team donated all basic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the NHS. Currently, the University Senate has agreed a fortnight's delay to the start of the first semester in September. An announcement was made by the Vice-Chancellor on 18 March that by the end of 20 March, the University's normal operations would cease. The teaching term for all three years of preclinical medical students had already ended on 13 March, with completion of an anatomy practical exam for over 300 second year medical students on that day. 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