The use of plastinated specimens for hybrid education of Veterinary Anatomy

Abstract

With the official announcement of the new type of coronavirus-induced COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic, an extraordinary situation that no one has ever encountered has started. Just as life was about to return to normal in Türkiye, two devastating earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaraş, affected ten different cities. Many global and national developments in various fields, which are expected to happen in the distant future, were completed within 3 years. One of these fields was undoubtedly education. Hybrid learning is seen as a trending educational approach combining face-to-face and online learning. Plastinated specimens come to the forefront for hybrid education with various advantageous features. They are not only non-toxic, dry, odorless materials, but also can simulate the natural anatomic appearance in detailed manner. With the help of new-generation acrylic paints and dyes which can penetrate into tissues, plastinates offer a unique natural look rather impressive than any other techniques. Due to the features mentioned above, plastinates are also convenient materials for handling, transportation or storage. These issues will be discussed in our article in terms of compatibility with hybrid learning. The aim of this article is to give ideas and make suggestions about how plastinates, which have been used efficiently in anatomy practices and professional training, can be used in hybrid veterinary anatomy education.