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Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Objective: The introduction of competency-based medical education curriculum and a shifted focus towards self-directed learning (SDL) in medical schools across the world has necessitated a reduction of didactic teaching hours. Museum specimens are an indispensable tool in anatomy teaching and can play a pivotal role in fostering and reinforcing SDL. Coloring of specimens makes it attractive and facilitates understanding anatomy. The aims of this study were: (1) weigh up the two commonly used coloring materials in anatomy viz. acrylic paint and nail polish; and (2) to assess the perception of anatomy students towards a Novel Osteo Refurbishment Method (NORM) for restoration of partially damaged osteology specimens., Methods: Undergraduate and postgraduate students of anatomy were recruited in the study. Participants responded to a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. Obtained data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel version 2019. For a comparison of the two coloring agents Mann-Whitney U test was applied to the responses toward the Likert scale-based questionnaire. P-value <0.05 was considered significant., Results: Out of 318 study participants, 63.7% and 36.3% of the respondents were male and female, respectively. 90.5 % were new entrants to university and the remainder 9.5% had a prior university degree. Students found the acrylic paint to be a better coloring agent and they also opined that NORM generated refurbished osteology specimens could serve as a useful self-learning tool. Acrylic paint was found to be more suitable as compared to nail polish with significant p-value in most of the parameters tested., Conclusions: Acrylic colour holds a good place in coloring both specimens and models in anatomy. Nail polish can be an alternative but with some noted disadvantages. The initial experience with NORM yielded encouraging results with potential practical utility., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (©Copyright 2023 by the Istanbul Medeniyet University / Medeniyet Medical Journal published by Galenos Publishing House.)

The superficial palmar arch (SPA) is an important anastomotic network primarily formed by the superficial branch of the ulnar artery with one of the superficial branches of the radial artery. SPA variations were observed in three out of 20 cadaveric hand specimens. Two cases of unilateral incomplete SPA and the third case of a unilateral ulnar-to-median complete SPA were recorded. The incomplete SPA was located superficial to the flexor digitorum tendons and deep to the palmar aponeurosis. SPA in the remaining 17 hands was anatomically normal, with major contributions from the superficial palmar branch of the ulnar artery and minor contributions from the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery. These variations are clinically important, especially during procedures like arterial blood sampling, cardiac catheterization, and hemodialysis. Thus, anatomical variabilities in this region may cause complications with vascular occlusion if not ascertained before the procedure., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (©Copyright 2022 by the Istanbul Medeniyet University / Medeniyet Medical Journal published by Galenos Publishing House.)