New Models Offer a Deeper Look at the Human Body at ACM

When's the last time you asked someone to hand you a heart, an arm, or maybe part of a skull? At the Allegany College of Maryland Bedford County Campus, asking for body parts, specifically anatomical models of human body parts, will soon be par for the course.

Thanks to the generosity of a local family and the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, the Bedford County Regional Education Foundation (BCREF) recently purchased eight models designed for teaching purposes. The models – an arm and shoulder girdle, brain, female half pelvis, heart, male leg and pelvis, skull, torso, and the stage of fertilization – will be used by instructors and students as part of the College's popular Anatomy and Physiology courses. Approximately 120 students enroll in Anatomy and Physiology I and II at the Bedford County Campus each year.

Using the models can be a game-changer for students enrolled in the College's Allied Health curriculum. For many students, it enables them to better recognize how the body is connected – the interrelationships within and between anatomical and physiological systems of the human body. Seeing systems and organs at different angles can elevate their understanding of classroom theory and aid them in predicting how changes within the body impact multiple systems.

The college had a limited number of models for anatomy and physiology instruction, according to Jeremy Laird, a tutor and pre-physical therapy assistant student at the Bedford County Campus. "Having additional anatomy models allows students to visually study and learn. It's a hands-on experience that's vital, especially when you're planning for a future in the healthcare field."

The purchase of the anatomical models which totaled nearly $7,700 was financed through a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies and the proceeds from the BCREF's Crafter's Dream Sale held at the Everett campus in June.

Through the generosity of the Ann (Hadesty) Shaffer and Berniece Hadesty family, the College held the Crafter's Dream Sale which liquidated the contents of Berniece's Flower and Gift Shop. The event raised more than $2,800 for the Bedford County Campus's Allied Health program.

The shop, originally founded as Berneice's Candle Shop in the Hadesty home, served Everett and the surrounding community for nearly six decades. The Shaffers worked closely with the staff at ACM to plan and promote the event.

"We're grateful to the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies for their continued support of education in our region, and especially indebted to the Shaffer family for their generosity. As we unpacked many boxes from the flower shop, the creativity of Ann and Berniece was so evident. Just as their creativity left a mark on our community during their 60 years in business, their donation will have a lasting impact on our students," said Leah Pepple, ACM's director of PA Advancement and Community Relations.

For more information about the Bedford County Regional Education Foundation, call 652-9528 or email lpepple@allegany.edu.