SDSU's pre-professional programs prepare regional health care workers

Jadyn Perry came to South Dakota State University knowing she wanted to major in biology. And thanks to several of the courses she took during her first two years, she's been able to decide what areas of biology she wants to pursue after college.

“I think my aspirations evolve each semester with each course I take and the new interests I find,” said Perry, a native of Brookings who is a junior at South Dakota State University. “I would like to find a job within the biotechnology industry that specifically involves biotherapeutic research and development. The courses and experiences at SDSU have helped shape my career goals.”

One of those courses was Human Anatomy and Lab, which studies the various systems in the human body as a structural basis for physiology. Perry excelled in the course and is currently an intern, performing demonstrations on cadavers during lab time, and helping to explain concepts to students in the class. 

"Being an intern, you not only have to be comfortable with the material and know it really well, but you also need to be able to teach it to other students and be able to communicate these complex ideas and structures to someone who’s learning about it for the first time," she said.

This semester the university opened the upgraded and expanded Aamlid Family Human Anatomy Lab that gives Perry and others in the class an opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the subject matter. In doing so, they gain valuable skills that they will bring into the regional workforce.

"For nearly 20 years, we had two cadavers, 24 students, packed into a 1,000-square-foot room," said Scott Pedersen, a professor in the Department of Biology and Microbiology who teaches the course. "SDSU’s new anatomy labs have doubled our square footage and we now enjoy two remarkable teaching spaces –– one dedicated to cadaver dissection and the other to the teaching and study of anatomical models and charts. As of this fall, we now have state-of-the-art projection systems, lighting and markable surfaces on every wall that provide a unique active learning environment. 

"The new labs can now serve all allied health majors on campus and all levels of study – from freshmen to graduate students," Pedersen said. 

The Aamlid Family Human Anatomy Lab experience is one of the reasons that students choose to attend South Dakota State University. “There are 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, and South Dakota State University is the right size — small enough to get hands-on experience but large enough to get diverse, rich, world-class experiences,” said Greg Heiberger, associate dean for academics and student success in the College of Natural Sciences. “Of those thousands of colleges in the U.S., only a few hundred have cadavers and even less have cadavers where undergrads dissect. The experience is quantifiably different than what students can receive in most pre-health professional programs across the United States.”

The opportunity to work on cadavers attracts students from in-state and out-of-state. “The cadaver anatomy experience is a differentiator in comparing campus curricula and experiences,” Heiberger said.

South Dakota State University’s pre-professional offerings in health care allow students to gain research, teaching, and cadaver experience — and apply those experiences in regional health care settings or graduate programs. Furthermore, pre-professional programs in medicine, dentistry, optometry, chiropractic and physical therapy have a lasting impact on the region. They also give students the training they need to be successful in graduate or medical school.

“The impact on the region and state is that we can offer a world-class experience at a low price point, close to home — all leading to lower student loan debt, high levels of rigor, and support in their academic preparation and thus a higher likelihood they find success in admission to professional schools anywhere in the country but also more likelihood they stay close,” Heiberger said.

Still discovering her interests and passions through the classes she takes, Perry said she is thankful for her experiences at South Dakota State University.

"SDSU impacts the quality of this region’s health care by producing hard-working and passionate healthcare professionals,” she said. “Students’ time at SDSU gives them the tools and experiences needed to be successful and dedicated physicians, physicians’ assistants, pharmacists and nurses.”

To learn more about South Dakota State University’s Human Anatomy and Lab course and pre-professional programs, visit sdstate.edu.