Katherine Leavey, aspiring oncology nurse, surveyed her patients exposed chest cavity.

The metastasized lung cancer had sent malignant tendrils into surrounding regions, fusing rib cage to lung tissue.

Atrophied and rigid, the left lung resembled a piece of granite while the cancerous, plum-colored right lung lay in a disintegrated state.

The heart, veiled in a thin layer of fat, lay in the middle of it all.

All that was missing was a heartbeat.

OUs human anatomy course continues to challenge students as it delves into internal organs and an extensive amount of course material.

Students exposed their cadavers internal organs in lab for the first time last week.

Once rib cages are removed, a moment of fascination usually follows, human anatomy professor Cindy Gordon said.

Its always those few minutes of Wow, Gordon said. The first thing that everyone does is look at their [cadaver], and then theyll go around to all the other bodies.

Transitioning from the study of musculature to internal organs, students in the course are starting to witness the incredible amount of variation among the bodies, Gordon said.

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Sooners explore human body in anatomy course