Eva Chima was fast asleep, already back in Hamilton when the news broke. It was the early hours of the morning, and the annual American Association for Anatomy conference in Portland, Oregon, had just concluded.  

Unbeknownst to her, Eva – a second-year student in McMaster University’s Honours Health Sciences Program (HHSP) – had clinched the prestigious Educational Research Platform Award, beating out senior PhD students to secure first place for her oral presentation of research into sex and gender equity in anatomical education. 

“I didn’t expect to win at all,” says Eva. “I felt like my presentation was quite different from the other ones, but I was so happy to see that many people actually valued our topic and the way it was conveyed.” 

Eva has always been drawn to the sciences. Growing up in Vaughan and attending school in Aurora, she immersed herself in chemistry and biology, all while learning in French. Her passion for science and a desire to pursue a career in healthcare led her to McMaster, a place she felt an immediate connection with due to its science-focused, friendly atmosphere. “If I was a school, I’d be Mac,” she says. 

In August 2023, before her first-year studies began, an email newsletter landed in her inbox which featured an article about Adam Arca, a McMaster Health Sciences graduate, who had conducted a thesis on skin tone diversity in anatomy. Eva’s interest was piqued, so she connected with Adam who encouraged her to reach out to his supervisor, Assistant Professor Kristina Durham. With Durham’s support she soon found herself involved in the anatomy lab at McMaster, working with other learners and faculty members, including Danielle Brewer-Deluce, assistant professor in the Education Program in Anatomy. 

Durham and Brewer-Deluce were beginning a new research project on sex and gender equity in anatomical education; and Eva – who was in first year and adjusting to the demands of a university curriculum and living away from home – began volunteering to support the project.  

“Eva very quickly integrated with our group, taking on leadership responsibilities that she’s held and grown since. She’s been an outstanding colleague contributing to research on multiple projects and has become an invaluable member of our team,” says Brewer-Deluce. 

In addition to Eva, learners Adam Arca, Marfy Abousifein, Maha Siddique and Susie Soo Jin Lee were involved in the research, bringing valuable perspectives and contributions to the project.  

“When we think about anatomy, a lot of what we’re being taught is binary – especially in the language we use and what we see in textbooks regarding sex and gender. We were really interested in seeing if anatomists cared about that language,” Eva explains.

“Language is really important. We want clinicians to treat their patients in a way that makes the patients feel comfortable expressing any concerns and feel accepted so that they can trust them,” she says.  

“So, relating that back to education – what future clinicians learn in the classroom is going to have an impact on the way that they talk to their patients. The anatomical language that they use in the classroom is what their patients are eventually going to hear, and we found that really important to explore and decolonize the way that we’re talking about anatomy in the classroom. The basis of our project was to find out if other people cared about that, too, to inform possible future change.” 

The research project was split into two parts: a survey sent to staff at anatomy labs at Ontario schools, and semi-structured interviews to elaborate. Eva’s award-winning presentation, “Redefining AnatoME Education: A Descriptive Analysis of Current Views and Future Approaches on the Incorporation of Inclusive Sex and Gender Practices,” was based on the interview results. 

“Giving respondents the option to do a semi-structured interview allowed them to elaborate on some of the aspects they touched upon in their survey,” says Eva. “We could get specific perspectives that sometimes numbers from a survey won’t really elucidate. As students, we were trained on how to conduct the interviews.”  

Thirty-five per cent of survey respondents participated in the interviews, and through thematic analysis, the team found the data centred around five themes: differences in conceptualizing sex and gender, internal and external influencers of conceptualization, varied perceptions of donor respect, barriers to incorporating sex and gender inclusivity, and inclusive practices. The themes helped the research group establish current views and future approaches to inclusive sex and gender practices in anatomical education. 

The research wrapped with the following conclusions: 

• There is a growing body of literature calling for increased sex and gender representation and inclusivity in anatomy education. 

• The wide variability in sex and gender education practices and opinions on suitability, respect and practicality may present barriers for implementation. 

• Anatomists have a real opportunity to positively influence health outcomes of marginalized populations. 

Faculty members Brewer-Deluce and Durham, as well as the team of learners, moved on to different projects, but when the American Association for Anatomy’s conference was coming up, the results of the interviews were left without a presenter because the team was focused on their new projects. 

“It was disappointing there was no one to present about our interviews – we really wanted to highlight that anatomy is for every body,” she says. At the encouragement of Brewer-Deluce and Durham, Eva and team member Susie wrote and submitted an abstract and were shocked when it was accepted for an oral presentation at the conference.  

Preparing for the presentation was no small feat. Eva credits her success to the support of the research team, including learner Gyuah Kim, who Eva met through the anatomy lab, and Assistant Professors Durham and Brewer-Deluce. Durham helped her understand the basic do’s and don’ts of research presentations, guiding her along the process while creating space for Eva’s personal touch, while Brewer-Deluce helped her improve on how to better deliver those findings through creating visuals and dissecting interview results together. 

Eva also found unexpected inspiration from a creative writing class she took as an elective, where she learned the art of storytelling from Robert Spree. “When you give an oral presentation, you want to tell a story,” she explains. “You want people to understand and know why your work is important.” 

Eva was shocked to hear of her win. She had flown home from the conference early and woke up to the news, humbled that the project earned the attention of an international audience. 

“I felt like the presentation mattered, and that was my goal. It was surreal to see our team’s research recognized. We put in a lot of work, and I wanted to make my team proud,” she says.  

The recognition has only fueled her passion to continue with anatomy education research. Eva is currently finalizing a manuscript on the project’s findings alongside her team and is grateful for the opportunities and support provided by faculty in the McMaster anatomy lab, including Bruce Wainman and Brewer-Deluce. Looking ahead, she remains committed to advancing anatomical education and is inspired by the impact her work can have on future clinicians and patients alike.  

“The more I do research, the more I think, maybe a master’s degree would be really nice. I would love to keep doing research forever.”