Clinical Anaplastology:
Design and fabrication of realistic functional facial, ocular, and somatic (body) prostheses
The Master of Science program in Clinical Anaplastology (CA) offers students the knowledge to succeed as clinicians providing facial, ocular, and non-weight bearing somatic (body) prostheses, as well as designing 3D patient-matched models, surgical templates and other 3D-printed clinical models. Prostheses are created by working with each patient to custom-mold, cast, sculpt, and colorize the final wearable device.
Clinical Anaplastology offers a treatment option to patients for whom surgical reconstruction alone cannot restore facial features or the appearance of limbs and digits. Custom prosthetic devices allow patients to resume functional activities of daily living.
The Board for Certification in Clinical Anaplastology (BCCA) Standards for Certification outlines the educational and supervised clinical training requirements for different eligibility pathways. Johns Hopkins supports certification in this profession and our program curriculum was designed in close consultation with identified subject matter experts, BCCA Eligibility requirements, Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, CCA Practice Guidelines, and more (BCCA PDFs webpage). Studying with our faculty, who are Certified Clinical Anaplastologists (CCA) in good standing, can be counted toward the supervised clinical training requirements in accordance with BCCA Eligibility Criteria/Pathway Guidelines.
Basic medical science courses are offered by the School of Medicine. Clinical Anaplastology courses and rotations are provided by the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine in collaboration with clinical services at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. All degree candidates must satisfy the requirements of Johns Hopkins University, the School of Medicine, and the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine to earn the Master of Science degree.
For detailed information on the CA program, please visit our website.
Admission Requirements
Candidates interested in the Master of Science program in Clinical Anaplastology are encouraged to prepare academically and artistically in the following areas:
- Bachelor's Degree (BS, BSc, BA, or similar) with high academic standing in all coursework
- Science Coursework (Required of all applicants, taken "for credit" at a degree-granting accredited college or university)
- Inorganic or General Chemistry
- Vertebrate Anatomy (with dissection lab)
- Vertebrate Physiology
- Organ Histology
- Art Coursework or Training (either at college or at an art atelier)
- Figure or Portrait Drawing
- Figure or Portrait Sculpting
- Color Media
- General Drawing
- Digital Media (drawing, illustration, or painting)
- English Writing Course (GRE, TOEFL, or IELTS may substitute)
Recommended additional art coursework: Color Theory, Digital Media (sculpting, 3D modeling, and / or 3D animation), Art History, and Photography.
Preferred Skills or Previous Exposure
- CPR Certification
- Dental Laboratory Materials / Techniques
- Other anaplastology-related knowledge and skills: prosthetic sculpting, moldmaking, impression taking and casting (Although previous exposure to these skills are preferred, they are covered as part of the curriculum)
- 3D scanning, 3D modeling, 3D printing, CAD, and related work
Application Process
Admission to the CA program occurs in two steps. Full details on the requirements for each Step of the process, along with sample portfolio images and links to forms, are available on the Application Process web page.
Step One - Portfolio and Applicant Profile
To Submit Step One requirements, candidates email medicalart@jh.edu to request a link to a personalized Hopkins OneDrive folder (HIPAA and FERPA compliant). Candidates then upload the Portfolio and Applicant Profile for review.
Step One Requirements:
- Applicant Profile PDF Form
- Portfolio - one of the following:
- Artistic Portfolio
- Clinical Portfolio*
- Combination Portfolio*
*(Candidate must collect authorization from each patient presented. Authorization forms are maintained by the candidate and are not submitted with the portfolio.)
Step Two - Application and Interview
Following Step One, CA faculty invite select candidates to submit the formal School of Medicine Graduate Programs Application and to interview with the faculty. Application instructions will be provided only to those candidates invited to continue.
Step Two Requirements:
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended**
- Statement of Interest in the Program
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Application Fee
- Interview
**Unofficial transcript uploads are sufficient for the review process. Official transcripts, those mailed or electronically delivered directly from the administration at one school to an office or department at another school, which confirm the type and date a degree(s) was granted are needed from accepted students prior to matriculation into the program.
Degree Requirements
- Each candidate must successfully complete all courses offered.
- Each candidate must submit a Capstone Research Project on a subject approved by and with the advice of one of the core faculty members in the Spring Semester of the Second Year.
- A degree candidate's period of attendance in the program will be no less than 18 months.
- Transfer graduate students must register for a minimum of two consecutive semesters as full-time residents.
- Certification by the Department or Graduate Program Director that all requirements have been fulfilled.
Program Curriculum
The 22-month curriculum of the Master of Science program in Clinical Anaplastology (CA) is designed to prepare graduates for the field of clinical anaplastology and to become Certified Clinical Anaplastologists (CCA). A long-time leader in the profession, Juan García, MA, CCA, developed the CA program curriculum closely consulting leadership of the Board for Certification in Clinical Anaplastology (BCCA) and BCCA Certification Documents, leadership of the International Anaplastology Association (IAA), as well as multiple subject matter experts in Clinical Anaplastology and related professions. Graduates of the CA program will follow current BCCA Eligibility Pathway 1 Anaplastology Educational Programs. For details on the below courses, please see the Clinical Anaplastology Graduate Curriculum webpage.
Clinical Anaplastology students are required to complete training in the Responsible Conduct of Research and entry-level clinical safety during the first year.
- Courses on Research Ethics and Clinical Safety, most available online through JH myLearning: Responsible Conduct of Research (CITI); Patient Privacy for Workforce Members; JHU Electronic Information Security and Data Management; Infection Prevention and Control: Preventing Transmission of Infections; CPR training (BLS and CPR for Healthcare Providers); Bloodborne Pathogens; hand washing, PPE guidelines and fit testing.
- Students and faculty discuss the JH policies on ethical standards and academic integrity in learning and clinical environments as part of their day-one program orientation.
- CA Students, faculty and AAM Department members also discuss ethics as they pertain to the Clinical Anaplastology profession. Discussion topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The International Anaplastology Association Code of Ethics; the BCCA Certification record of clinical casework; HIPAA, patient privacy, and the safety of physical and digital patient records; Human subjects research ethics and the purpose of the requirements of the Institutional Review Board (IRB; application and approval specific to JHM); Ethics and common concerns with patient billing; De-identification / Anonymization of visuals and photographs; and certification and continuing education requirements.
First Year
In the first year, students receive training in 1) Foundational coursework including anatomy, professional standards, materials and methods, 2) Interdisciplinary topics including clinical etiology, surgical functional and psychosocial considerations, and 3) Hands-on skills development such as creating various kinds of prosthetic devices, use of advanced 3D technologies and mold-making/casting methods. Students receive technical training in safe and effective use of materials, equipment and instrumentation.
Fall - Year 1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ME.120.901 | The Clinical Anaplastologist | 1 |
| ME.120.902 | Clinical Anaplastology Exposure | 1 |
| ME.120.903 | Anatomical Sculpting | 4 |
| ME.120.904 | Survey of Materials and Methods | 1 |
| ME.120.905 | Interdisciplinary Considerations of Rehabilitation | 1 |
| ME.120.906 | 3D Technologies and Clinical Modeling | 1 |
| ME.120.907 | Principles of Clinical Anaplastology Practice | 1 |
| ME.120.908 | 5 | |
| ME.130.600 | Scientific Foundations of Medicine - Human Anatomy | 12 |
Spring - Year 1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ME.120.901 | The Clinical Anaplastologist | 1 |
| ME.120.902 | Clinical Anaplastology Exposure | 1 |
| ME.120.903 | Anatomical Sculpting | 4 |
| ME.120.908 | 2 | |
| ME.120.909 | Osseointegrated Implant-Retained Facial Prosthetics | 4 |
| ME.120.910 | Ocular and Scleral Shell Prosthetics | 3 |
| ME.120.911 | Somatic Prosthetics | 3 |
| ME.120.716 | Medical Sculpture | 3 |
Second Year
In the second year, students focus on safe and effective clinical skills development through shadowing and parallel clinical efforts to provide prosthetic and other medical devices. This allows students to build a portfolio of clinical cases. Each student is required to complete a Capstone Research project advised by one of the core faculty members. Students receive training in ethics, research integrity, and related topics important to clinical work, professional development and business practices.
Summer - Year 2
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ME.120.951 | Supervised Clinical Rotations | 12 |
Fall - Year 2
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ME.120.951 | Supervised Clinical Rotations | 14 |
| ME.120.952 | Business Practices and Ethical Standards | 2 |
| ME.120.953 | Capstone Research | 2 |
Spring - Year 2
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ME.120.951 | Supervised Clinical Rotations | 10 |
| ME.120.953 | Capstone Research | 6 |
| ME.120.954 | Professional Development and Portfolio | 2 |
Educational Objectives and Learning Outcomes
Educational Objectives
The educational objectives of the Clinical Anaplastology program are to prepare graduates for the field of clinical anaplastology and for seeking certification as clinical anaplastologists. Upon entering the program, students will be introduced to various topics related to clinical onboarding, including CPR skills, disinfection and infection control measures, COVID-19 precautions, and HIPAA-related training.
In the first year, students will receive training in: 1) Foundational coursework including anatomy, professional standards, materials and methods, 2) Interdisciplinary topics including clinical etiology, surgical functional and psychosocial considerations, and 3) Hands-on skills development such as producing various kinds of prosthetic devices, use of advanced 3D technologies and mold-making/casting methods. Students will also receive technical training in safe and effective use of materials, equipment, and instrumentation.
In the second year, students will focus on clinical skills development through shadowing and engaging parallel clinical efforts to provide prosthetic and other medical devices. This will allow students to build a portfolio of clinical cases. Each student will be required to complete a capstone research project advised by one of the core faculty members. Students will also receive training in ethics, research integrity, and related topics important to clinical work, professional development, and business practices.
Classes will be in the form of in-person courses, laboratory setting technical skills development, individualized meetings with faculty advisors and will at times include direct patient interactions.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the program, students will be able to:
- Perform clinical assessments and treatment planning discussions with patients, family, and referring physicians, including explanations of retention methods, care for devices, realistic expectations for appearance, and typical lifespan of prostheses documenting the encounter using SOAP notes.
- Produce facial (nasal, auricular, orbital), ocular (indwelling ocular and scleral cover shell), and somatic (finger, partial hand, partial foot and breast) prostheses, documenting each with photographs after obtaining and documenting proper patient consent.
- Apply principles of advanced 3D technologies (3D model segmentation from CT/MRI medical imaging, 3D surface scanning, photogrammetry, 3D digital sculpting, 3D modeling and 3D printing) as needed during the production of prosthetic devices.
- Assess outcomes of treatment plans through follow-up interviews with patients, address any necessary changes to plans, and document results as part of the patients’ medical history.
- Understand business aspects of billing for durable medical equipment (i.e. provider enrollment, filing insurance claims, and applying principles of accounting), as well as professional and ethical standards for the field of clinical anaplastology.
- Write and present results to an interdepartmental audience of the responsible original research conducted into topics related to clinical anaplastology under the mentorship of a physician or faculty preceptor and a program faculty advisor.