‘Vedasa 2018’: Not just another medical exhibition
View(s):Another medical
exhibition — so what?
This will be unique, is the assurance of the organizers of ‘Vedasa 2018’, the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Sri Jayewardenepura University. ‘Vedasa 2018’ will be held from December 4 – 8 at the Mihilaka Medura, BMICH grounds, Colombo 7. It is part of the faculty’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
Picking up the topic of ‘Anatomy’ which is the science concerning the structure of living organisms, the organizers say that it will be one of the exhibition’s main attractions.
Why? At Vedasa, the human body module has shifted from being traditional exhibition items comprising cadavers to a digital and innovative marvel. It consists of:
- System based cadaveric specimens – Real cadavers and specimens mounted in unique ways, inspired by the famous Van Gogh museum exhibits in the Netherlands.
- Plastination – A novel method of body preservation where the body fat and fluids are replaced by synthetic materials, a first in the history of medical exhibitions.
- Embryology – A sub-component of anatomy relating to the development of a baby within mother’s uterus.
- Radiology – The use of different imaging modalities to look at the structure of the body and detect abnormalities.
- 3D Technology and 3D printing – In a fast moving world, as teaching anatomy cannot be restricted to the conventional lecture halls and dissection laboratories, the organizers have taken the initiative to push the boundaries of teaching to a higher level including 3D printouts of human organs.
- Body donations – Paying heartfelt respect to ‘heroes’ who donate their bodies to the medical faculty for purposes of learning and research, there will be a special desk at the exhibition to provide information on body donation.
The other exhibition stalls will include the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, renal, reproductive, endocrine, central nervous systems and special senses.
Substance abuse, haematological disorders, malignancies, infectious diseases and control programmes, surgical procedures, genetic disorders, orthopaedic and trauma, toxicology and poisoning information, family medicine and allergies will also be part of the exhibition.
Another major attraction will be the forensic medicine stall and stalls dedicated to the Allied Health Sciences (pharmacy, nursing and medical laboratory sciences).
With each day having a theme, there will be expert panel discussions, lectures, video shows etc to disseminate knowledge, plus sessions on ‘Mindfulness’ focusing on a different aspect of wellbeing, i.e. mind healing.