Anatomy is one of the basic medical science’s department offering the learners an opportunity to study the detailed structure of human body. The beginners of the medical curriculum have to spend nearly half of the time period in their first professional year in various sections of the department.

When the institute was established at Nagpur in 2018, it was located in Govt Medical College campus where the department started functioning in July 2018. The academic activity of the very first batch began in November 2018. The second batch of MBBS students joined the institute at the designated campus in Mihan in December 2019, whence the department was tentatively located at the Dharamshala and Ayush block. Classroom activities and practical sessions got interrupted during initial Covid-19 outbreak and nationwide Covid lockdown was enforced since April 2020. Very soon, online mode of academic activities started and by the end of summer, designated academic block of the institute became functional and department was finally shifted to its stipulated place in Academic block in July 2020. The third batch of undergraduates joined the institute in December 2020.

During intense covid-19 management in the institute, staff and faculty of Anatomy department efficiently transited from the offline to online mode of teaching and did the online assessment as well. They also got incorporated in active Covid care in the institute in various capacities. Such duties included charge of the Covid wards, operational governance rounds, Covid triage team, DMO screening and triage, Covid patient relative management team and shift duties in Covid ward. Besides this, assistance in sample collection for RTPCR or Antigen test, assistance in molecular diagnostic lab, support for Covid ward, Covid-death management, assistance at Covid vaccination centre etc were also looked after by department staff. For their tireless work in handling Covid dead bodies, Covid dead body removal team members were felicitated in the hands of Medical Supt.

Department of Anatomy in collaboration with Psychiatry Department, conducted a patient support initiative “INSPIRE” for Covid patients. In this program second year medical students interacted with the Covid patients through conference calls in the presence of faculties, two to three times a day. Patients’ perspective about the Covid care facility at AIIMS, any issues faced by them etc were speedily addressed through this initiative. Also, the students learnt empathy and patient communication through this interactive initiative.

Faculty from Anatomy Department also served as the Registrar and the Assistant Controller of the Examinations in the Academic and Examination domains respectively. They also extended their expertise for various other significant administrative committees of the institute.

International Anatomy Day was celebrated on 15^th October 2020 with the conduction of e-poster competition, wherein medical students from all over India participated. There were many interesting and fun filled activities for the faculties of AIIMS Nagpur, revisiting Anatomy.

Contemplating another lockdown with the second wave of Covid, the newly admitted MBBS students were primed by guest speaker Dr Yuvaraj Bhosale, Additional Professor, Department of Anatomy, Topiwala National Medical College Mumbai, with online session on “the Study skills” on 5^th February 2021. The participants were tuned in and on the hook for the entire hour. The main highlights of the session were - setting the higher goal of service to humanity for giving the right direction and purpose while diving deep into medical curriculum and also that the road to success comes through hard work, determination and personal sacrifice.

The department also organised online series of hands-on sessions on Critical appraisal of research paper for the faculties of AIIMS Nagpur. The sessions were conducted in March-April 2021 by Dr Gugapriya, Additional Professor, Department of Anatomy. These sessions were highly appreciated by all the participating faculties.

Cadaver is one of the most important learning resources in the department of Anatomy. The initiative for body donation were taken by making provision of embalming service for commercial (transportation) as well as donation purpose. Covid-19 pandemic restricted body donation activity but still three body donations were received in the department till January 2021. IMA Nagpur and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) together organised a public awareness talk concerning organ and body donation where a session was shared by Dr A M Tarnekar, Professor and Head of the department on 23.8.2021.  Setting up of the Museum at the Department of Anatomy is under process. Another special training program for the support staff in the Department of Anatomy and other interested staff was successfully completed during this year. Initiatives have been taken by the department to develop Genetics lab where trial work of karyotype analysis has recently been performed.