Meadowview Christian High School students’ anatomy lesson went well beyond the textbooks Wednesday. 

Science teacher Dr. Rana Assaad invited Dr. Glenn Ray Delp to visit the school twice this week and help teach her anatomy class. Delp, a retired general surgeon that practiced in Selma, spend Tuesday teaching the students about the human heart and Wednesday instructing them on how to dissect a sheep heart.

“[With me] being really good friends with Dr. Assaad and loving anatomy, I couldn’t say no,” Delp said about his invitation to assist the class.

Because the sheep heart is similar to the human heart, dissecting the animal organ taught the students the anatomy of the human heart, how it functions and what it looks like, Delp said.

“It doesn’t mean as much unless you actually look at it and dissect it yourself,” he said. “You can study photos all day, but you don’t get the concept of what it is and how it really works.”

Assaad said her educational background made her to see the value of having a professional surgeon assist in certain dissections.

“It has been awesome to have Dr. Delp here,” Assaad said. “I graduated medical school, so I know how much surgeons are very important to do these kind of dissections.”

Assaad also said Delps’ visit has been educational and exciting for her students, including senior Emily Dennis.

Dennis, who plans to earn her bachelor’s and masters’ in nursing, said she was fascinated to study anatomy in a more realistic way.

“It’s definitely different,” Delp said. “The parts of the heart are the same, but it’s not color-coated for you. You really have to think it through and look at it carefully.”

Delp said Wednesday may not be the last time he visits the school to share his expertise. The retiree said he might revisit the school at a later day to teach students how to dissect a pig.