The Teaching and Scholarship Podcast · The Teaching and Scholarship Podcast

Dr Jason Organ Part 1

April 1, 2022·1 hr 19 min·5 clips

Dr. Jason Organ reveals why expert teachers often fail to connect with students due to the 'curse of knowledge'.

This episode features host Scott Ramsay interviewing Dr. Jason Organ, an associate professor of anatomy and physiology at Indiana University with a background in biological anthropology. They reconnect after previously co-hosting an anatomy education podcast during the early COVID-19 lockdowns. Dr. Organ's expertise lies in science communication and evolutionary anatomy. The conversation begins with both hosts reflecting on the challenges of teaching anatomy during the pandemic, including mask policies and the risk of instructor illness disrupting cadaver-based courses. Dr. Organ describes Indiana's low vaccination rates and lifted restrictions, contrasting them with Scotland's more cautious approach. He explains his academic shift from anthropology to anatomy, citing difficulties in communicating across sub-disciplines like linguistics and archaeology. A specific example involves the fossil "Lucy" (*Australopithecus afarensis*) and anatomical adaptations for bipedalism. Dr. Organ argues that jargon creates barriers when scientists communicate with the public, using the scientific definition of "theory" as a key example. He connects clear communication to a duty owed to taxpayers who fund research. The discussion touches on teaching evolution to medical students, with Dr. Organ noting most find it useful for understanding clinical issues like lower back pain. He contrasts training medical students as "mechanics" versus scientists, linking this to public confusion during the pandemic when clinicians commented on epidemiology. A memorable moment involves a lighthearted debate on whether lungs or knees are more important, prompting a suggestion for a Twitter poll. Dr. Organ shares an insight about the complexity of human walking, describing it as a series of controlled falls enabled by gluteal muscles. He recalls inconsistent public health messaging in the U.S. about mask efficacy, from "don't wear a mask" to "your mask protects others." Scott Ramsay adds an anecdote about delayed mask mandates in England undermining the perceived urgency of the policy. The tone is conversational and collegial, with frequent personal anecdotes and humorous digressions. The style is informal and meandering, blending serious academic topics with casual banter about moving house, aging, and exercise preferences. Listeners interested in science communication, anatomy education, or academic career paths would enjoy this episode. Those seeking a tightly structured, single-topic discussion might find the frequent tangents less engaging.

As heard by us

A medicine-and-teaching conversation that makes the science of walking feel concrete.

This episode settles into a thoughtful talk about teaching medicine as a science, not just a set of procedures. The discussion moves most cleanly from gait and gluteal function to the larger point: students learn better when anatomy, evolution, and lived movement are treated as…

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Want a calm, smart conversation about how medicine should be taught, and why that matters?

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