HANDS-ON LESSON IN CADAVER DISSECTION : DOCTORS HOPE EXPERIENCE WILL FOSTER INTEREST IN MEDICINE, HEALTH CARE.

Byline: Jeanne Mariani-Belding Daily News Staff Writer

Seizing the opportunity - and the scalpel - Jennifer Giraldi volunteered to make the first cut into the human cadaver.

As deftly as her nervous hands would allow, the Oak Park High School senior cut the flesh along the rib cage.

With that incision, class was officially in session.

Jennifer and 17 other students in the school's Advanced Placement biology class are getting the rare opportunity to dissect a human cadaver under the direction of a team of practicing surgeons.

The program, now in its fourth year, is wildly popular with students, said Winnie Litten, who teaches the class.

``These surgeons offer more to the students than I ever could as a teacher,'' said Litten. ``For my students thinking about going into pre-med, this is one more step that puts them ahead of the game. Students can opt out and take an alternative assignment, but generally there's high interest in it.''

The students started Tuesday on a course of six sessions, each focusing on a different part of the human body.

Jennifer's session - under the guidance of Dr. Steven Weinstein, a general surgeon - covered the chest, heart and lungs.

``It's amazing,'' Jennifer said. ``I mean, talk about a learning experience. Obviously, I'll never forget this.''

That's precisely the type of interest that Weinstein and the rest of the team of doctors from the Southern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Group who are involved in the program want to instill in students.

``I think the biggest benefit for students is that it gives them an exposure to the human body, and the way it functions that most high school students don't get,'' said Weinstein, who is based at Kaiser Permanente's Woodland Hills facility.

``I'm not here to make surgeons out of them. I'm here to get them interested in medicine, health care and anatomy,'' he said.

Oak Park's human cadaver dissection program is the only one taught by professional, practicing physicians in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, Kaiser officials said.

In the program's history, only one student has opted for an alternate assignment. In fact, 56 students have signed up for next year's class, prompting the school to add a second section, according to Litten.

``It's a huge motivator,'' she said.

There were gasps when students first saw the cadaver lying on a gurney, sealed in a bright yellow body bag.

The 91-year-old man, who had died of a heart attack, had donated his body to science and was purchased for $800 from the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, through a grant provided by Los Robles Medical Center.

Students were riveted as Weinstein took them on a visual tour of the chest cavity, watching four of their peers dressed in surgical garb gingerly carving up organs and tissue.

Weinstein discussed how the lungs function, removing one lung and letting students cut open a cross-section of the sponge-like organ.

Midway through the class, Candace McDonald, who had grimaced at the thought of making the first incision earlier, was engrossed in examining a segment of the lung.

``I've been excited to do this all year. Everything we've learned about the human body all year is all tied in. You actually see things like the aorta. It's really a neat hands-on experience,'' said Candace, 17, who will be attending the University of Utah next fall as a pre-med major.

Kelli Bernard was amazed as Weinstein lifted the cadaver's heart from its chest.

The 16-year-old junior said she's never had an experience quite like this one.

``Oh, yeah - this is my first biology class and definitely my first cadaver,'' Kelli said.

``At first I couldn't do it. But when you think about it more scientifically and realize that he donated his body to science and that this was what he wanted, you realize that it's really a great learning opportunity,'' said Kelli, who plans to study business in college.

``The fascinating part of all this is actually seeing and touching - you can actually pick up a lung and squeeze it

,'' she said.

Standing in the wings were Kelli's parents, Debbie and Ray Bernard.

``I came out of curiosity and to share in this unique experience with her,'' Debbie Bernard said, as her husband snapped pictures of Kelli participating in the dissection.

``I think it's just a tremendous learning experience for her,'' she said.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Oak Park High School junior Kelli Bernard take s a saw from Dr. Steven Weinstein during dissection of a cadaver Tuesday.

(2) Oak Park student Anna Woodward reacts during dissection of a cadaver as part of an Advanced Placement biology class.

Phil McCarten/Daily News