The Royal Veterinary College has announced that it is to launch the Online Veterinary Anatomy Museum (OVAM) next Tuesday (20th November). The Royal Veterinary College has announced that it is to launch the Online Veterinary Anatomy Museum next Tuesday (20th November).

According to the College, the museum is one of the world's largest online veterinary anatomical resource collections. The College says it hopes the museum will support veterinary students in their studies and inspire learners everywhere to engage with animal anatomy and science in an interactive and informative way.

The Online Veterinary Museum will offer various resources including:

  • Interactive and annotated diagrams and images of specimens
  • Three dimensional imaging of skeletons, radiographic imaging and interpretation
  • Podcasts and potcasts of anatomical specimens
  • Anatomy with a clinical relevance and an anatomical link to WikiVet content
  • Comprehensive videos of dissection techniques which will greatly reduce the need for duplication of procedures

The RVC says that the project, which began in November 2011, is an example of exceptional collaboration within the higher education sector, both in the UK and overseas as well as between the public and private sectors. Led by a small team based at the RVC, the project involved all seven of the UK's vet schools as well as international institutions, educational trusts, commercial publishers and web developers. Student Curators were recruited from the partner institutions involved, enabling students to develop new skills and, of course, contribute to this fantastic resource.

Project Director Nick Short said: "The teaching of anatomy forms a core part of the veterinary curriculum in every veterinary school in the world. With digital media increasingly used to enrich and support conventional lectures it therefore makes sense to share what we have to provide students with the best possible support for their studies.

"More than that the online museum will help to bring the world of veterinary anatomy alive not just for veterinary students but also for anybody with an interest in knowing more about animal's structure and function. OVAM provides access to some of the most amazing virtual resources contributed from all over the world. Here you can explore the 3D anatomy of a horse's foot from London, view beautiful animations of the abdomen of a pig from Spain or watch a selection of lectures from India!"

The resource will be live from the 20th November 2012: www.onlineveterinaryanatomy.net.

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