Students huddled in a dim classroom, peering over each other’s shoulders to get a look at the table below. On the electronic table a heart beats beneath a ribcage, pumping out blood and modeling the circulatory system. 

This summer, the science department purchased the most state-of-the-art anatomy visualization table on the market, known as the Anatomage table. This table contains a virtual library of human and animal anatomy and allows students to interact with four human cadavers, over 140 animal dissections as well as hundreds of medical case studies.

“It is providing us with this incredible opportunity that you would only get to experience in college or in medical school.” Dr. Sonia Clayton, the science department chair, said. 

With the Anatomage table, students are able to repeat dissections. Usually, dissections are a one-time event that takes up a single class period, but now the table allows teachers and students to be more dynamic and dive into different dissections for longer periods of time. 

A major factor that played into the decision to get the table was the fact that it is interactive, allowing students to manipulate the body and focus on certain areas. The table is able to quiz students on different bones or guide them through case studies. 

“You can even see when you move a specific muscle, what part of the brain lights up and allows specific parts of the body to move,” Dr. Clayton said. 

She first spotted the table at a conference earlier this spring. While the majority of the people in the session were college professors, Dr. Clayton started thinking about how Kinkaid could benefit from this technology. 

Priced at $83,000, Dr.Clayton spent months researching and discussing the benefits of the Anatomage table with university and graduate school professors to see if it was worth the cost. 

Eventually, Dr. Clayton presented the idea of introducing an Anatomage table to Head of School Mr. Jonathan Eades and the science department and much to her excitement, the purchase of the table was approved. 

“It makes you realize how generous the parents and community are when they know we want to be a leader in the STEM program and that we need to invest in the students getting opportunities that they wouldn’t receive at any ordinary high school,” Dr. Clayton said. 

“I’m so excited for this opportunity, I don’t feel like I would’ve gotten it anywhere else.” Kima Ukpong, a senior taking Dr. Clayton’s AP Biology class, said. 

The table won’t just be limited to life sciences students. The physics teachers have also shown interest in making use of the table’s ability to do physics labs. 

The Anatomage table is even opening up discussions about whether it could be used by the dance and athletics departments to show them how to engage specific muscles to improve performance. 

“We are thinking that the athletics can also use it to show athletes what their injuries would look like, such as knee injuries and students can actually see what is going on in their bodies, as well as students in ballet and dance,” Dr. Clayton shared. 

“I’m very thankful for the Kinkaid community for donating this wonderful piece of technology.”