MISD 8420: Thinking in 3D — An Introduction to Medical Imaging and 3D Printing

The new elective offered by the School of Medicine allows students to gain insight into the world of 3D and how it can be used for the advancement of medicine. 

Relevance
Livingston Martin, fourth-year medical student who took the course, has a background in technology and worked as a programmer for several years before going to medical school. “We have experts in technology and experts in medicine,” he said. “We don’t have many people with expertise in both industries. I think people with strengths in both areas are going to be really important in the future of medicine.”

Jennifer Lilley, third-year medical student, said the 3D printer has been an efficient and effective way to increase her knowledge of medicine. “I am able to print out medical situations like a brain injury and hold it in my hands and see what it looks like physically. I think using the 3D printer made me more confident to take my Step 1 Boards.” 

Location
The 3D printers are located at the Preston Smith Library Methodology Lab.

Instructor
Kate Serralde, Methodology Lab supervisor, teaches the course. She has a background in philosophy and sculpture that aids in providing innovative ways of learning new things that are seemingly complex. She’s assisted students with studying using the 3D printer — her team printed hearts for anatomy courses — and she’s also assisted surgeons. She printed a surgical model for an orthopedic surgeon who was going to have to straighten a 14-year-old’s spine without the use of blood transfusions — generally in this particular surgery a lot of blood is lost. He had to be incredibly accurate in this procedure and used the model that Serralde printed to prepare.