Mr Wesley Fisk

Wesley Fisk has been the Technical Officer in charge of the Dissecting Room since October 1992. He is responsible for the effective operation and maintenance of the Dissecting Room, Mortuary, Prosectory and Specimen storage, Cadaver Store and the Neuro collection. His responsibilities include:

• the receipt, embalming and storage of bodies donated to the University of Adelaide under the provisions of the Anatomy Act including the maintenance of the Cadaver Register
• the subsequent selection and distribution of cadavers and prepared teaching specimens for undergraduate and postgraduate use in the Medical Schools of the University of Adelaide and the Flinders University of South Australia,
• the selection, preparation and distribution of teaching specimens for use in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching at the University of South Australia
• management and technical support for SOMA Medical & Scientific Anatomy Services
• set up of all gross anatomy practicals, workshops, tutorials and examinations conducted by the Department and the selection of appropriate specimens and resources in conjunction with Course co-ordinators
• the supervision of the duties of the HEO3T and of prosectors employed by the Department
• the supervision of the maintenance of potted specimens in the Dissecting Room and the Abbie Centre for Teaching and Research.

As well as the above responsibilities Mr. Fisk liaises with Medical and Paramedical groups and individuals with regard to visits to and the use of the Dissecting Room and The Abbie Centre for Teaching and Research. He is responsible for the arrangement of all Surgical Workshops and for the set-up and selection of suitable specimens for the gross anatomy examinations of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Mr Fisk has broad experience and high level skills in his field stemming from a background in the Funeral industry including embalming and grief counselling, the evaluation of clinical case notes for the State Coroner of South Australia and the provision of high level dissection techniques as an autopsy technician as well as management, co-ordination, policy making, technical, OH&S and public relations skills gained from his experience as the Director and Transplant co-ordinator of the Eye Bank of NSW.

Mr Fisks' strategies have led to a consolidation of gross anatomy teaching resources within the area with the Neuro collection now being housed in an adjacent room as well as a division in the use of the Dissecting Room into "wet" and "dry" areas to facilitate both dissection and prosection based teaching in workshop format to take place at the same time. He has also achieved a reduction in the levels of formaldehyde exposure through the introduction of new embalming fluids and wetting sprays, cadaver storage in individual zippered bags, safe handling methods, protective apparatus and ongoing monitoring of levels within the area.

Contact Wesley: wesley.fisk@adelaide.edu.au