TMP Seminar Series

Presented by Washington State University – Department of Translational Medicine & Physiology

Building Safer Learning Spaces: Humanistic and Trauma-Informed Approaches in Anatomy Education

February 4, 2026
10:00–11:00 a.m. PST
SAC 147 or Zoom

Meeting ID: 945 5662 2957
Passcode: 723698

Speaker

Jessica Byram, PhD, Associate Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

Jessica Byram, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology and Assistant Director of the Phase 1 Curriculum at Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN. She is the director of the Anatomy & Physiology Education Track PhD Program. She teaches histology, embryology, and gross anatomy to undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. Her research interests include professional identity formation across the medical education spectrum and the integration of non-traditional discipline-independent skills into anatomy education.

This seminar will explore innovative approaches to integrating humanistic and trauma-informed principles into gross anatomy education. We will explore how integrating pathology and histopathology into anatomy curricula can deepen students’ understanding of disease and foster professional identity formation. Additionally, we will discuss the challenges learners face in the anatomy laboratory, particularly when prior trauma intersects with dissection experiences, and how trauma-informed medical education (TIME) strategies can create safer, more supportive learning environments. Attendees will gain insights into curricular design that promote empathy and clinical relevance while addressing the emotional complexities of anatomy education.