USPE Facility Planning Series

Anatomy Lab Equipment Planning Guide

How to size, equip, and schedule a gross anatomy lab — station math, table selection, and the infrastructure decisions that have to happen before equipment arrives.

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Start With Station Math

Plan roughly 90–110 sq ft per dissection station including circulation, plus entry scrub zone and storage. A 2,000 sq ft room realistically holds 14–18 stations once scrub, storage, and instructor circulation are carved out. Typical staffing ratio: 4–6 students per cadaver station.

Choose the Table Type by Curriculum

Table Best Fit
1035-03P Electric Immersion Semester-length dissection with daily raise/lower cycles; highest ergonomics
1035-03M Manual Immersion Same preservation capability, budget-conscious programs with fewer lift cycles
USPE-RDT2 Rotating Two-cadaver capacity per footprint; prosection-heavy teaching
1035-06DT Standard Prosection review, instrument-based coursework, flexible multi-use rooms

Infrastructure Before Equipment

Three decisions must precede the PO: ventilation (air changes, exhaust routing — work the Ventilation Checklist with your engineer), drainage (immersion fluid disposal rules vary by jurisdiction — Drainage Checklist), and formaldehyde program scope (OSHA Checklist). Rough-in specs for every USPE table ship with the quote.

Round Out the Room

1035-06-3 Scrub Station1035-16SDT Pans1035-15BWB Wax TraysTorso ModelUniversity Buyer HubFull USPE Catalog

Compliance Notice: Equipment selection should be reviewed with facility safety officers, licensed contractors, ventilation engineers, and applicable authorities having jurisdiction. USPE equipment supports professional workflow and cleanability but does not independently guarantee OSHA, EPA, CAP, Joint Commission, state, local, or institutional compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many stations does a 25-student cohort need?

At the common 5-students-per-station ratio, five stations — but plan one spare station's worth of space for growth and prosection demos.

Do immersion tables need special flooring?

No special flooring, but plan a floor drain nearby and slip-resistant finish in the fluid-handling zone; confirm point loads with your architect for concentrated table weights.

When should we order for a fall semester opening?

Specify by spring, issue the PO by early summer, and schedule delivery for the summer break window — built-to-order stainless has real lead times.

Send us your floor plan.

We'll return a station layout, equipment list, and campus-procurement-ready quote from the Tennessee factory.

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