The Anatome Story
Anatome is an initiative that aims to improve the outcomes of patients from marginalised groups through better representation in anatomical and medical imagery.
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Research shows that a lack of adequate representation in teaching resources can lead to the formation of implicit biases amongst healthcare professionals. Implicit biases are subconscious and innate reactions that everybody has based on their lived experience and the information they engage with. Every time we look at someone, we make an initial assessment about them, which is usually negative, due to our personal, unique, implicit biases.
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Here at Anatome Education, we cannot erase implicit biases, but we can make the pool of teaching resources that healthcare professionals more diverse, which can help to limit negative stereotypes and provide further education around the history of healthcare disparities.
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We value transparency at Anatome, and that's why we are sharing with you our story from the start until now, including our pitfalls and successes. Better healthcare resource provision should be unambiguous and clear. For that reason, we are also honest about the amount of funding we receive and from where.
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We are dedicated to improving the face of medical education regarding inclusivity. Keep an eye on this page to see how our story develops.
February 2023
Founder Aisia Lea completed a BMedSci dissertation project at the University of Nottingham investigating ethnic inclusivity and representation in the anatomical curriculum.
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As part of this research, a toolkit was produced for anatomical staff members regarding the discussion of ethnicity in the dissection suite and teaching. Review the toolkit here.
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This project is due for publication in the European Journal of Anatomy in May 2025. Check back here for the link once it's available to read.
April 2023
Initial conceptualisation of the Anatome project and recruitment of student team following Aisia presenting at the British Medical Association Medical Student Conference and passing a motion regarding the incorporation of ethnic inclusivity in the anatomical curriculum.
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June 2023
Anatome's first website and student-led blog posts were developed. We then shared Anatome with staff stakeholders Dr Deborah Merrick, Dr Yvonne Mbaki, and Natasha Noel-Barker. We then decided to put in a funding bid for the University of Nottingham Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) fund.
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At this point, we had our first meeting with our photography team, Steve Galloway and David McMahon, and staff support member Tom Hartman to discuss how we could get our vision of inclusive anatomical imagery off the ground.
September 2023
Unfortunately, our initial funding bid was unsuccessful. This, understandably, was a hit to the team's morale, however we continued to pursue different avenues of funding.
October 2023
After a chance meeting with Dr Katherine Linehan, then Pro-Vice Chancellor of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People, £1000 of funding was allocated to support a pilot of the Anatome project.
November 2023
We hosted our first photoshoot with model Tinuke Jonah, who was born with albinism and a visual difference. This was the first step in the journey to better, more inclusive representation.
December 2023
Our second shoot was with disability advocate, personal trainer and Gym Shark ambassador Tyler Saunders.
January 2024
Work began on the Anatome Surface Anatomical Handbook starts. Anatome is also awarded funding from the School of Life Sciences EDI Fund.
February 2024
Az Franco, trans man, advocate, artist, singer, and founder of Trans Protest UK joined us for our third photoshoot during LGBTQ+ History Month.
August 2024
Anatome was awarded a further £9000 of funding to develop our project, take more photographs and support the creation of our textbook.
October 2024
October was a busy month for Anatome! We held four photoshoots with models Glen Evans, a disability advocate with a limb difference, Sizwe Jones, a burns survivor, Moeed Majeed, who has Crohn's disease and raises awareness about disabiltes, and Catrin Pugh, a burns survior, physiotherapist, and public speaker.
November 2024
We held our final shoot of 2024 with Sarah Zachariades, a model with cerebal palsy.
December 2024
Anatome was privileged to receive £3000 in funding from the School of Medicine Student Experience Fund to support our Day of Diversity, Equity in Action Course and Through My Eyes project.
