The Anatomy of Making a Difference

In many fields of study, textbooks and standard testing can only take students so far.

Skills-based practice and real-life experience are vital to drive a lesson home, particularly in the medical field.

Brian Aamlid calls it “learning by doing,” and, with a decades-long career in orthopedic surgery, he’s no stranger to hands-on education.

A 1981 alum, Brian’s trajectory in healthcare reflects his ability to think on his feet and look ahead. After medical school at the University of Minnesota, Brian completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He eventually returned to Sioux Falls and served as Co-Medical Director of the Hip and Knee Replacement and Hip Fracture programs at the Sanford USD Medical Center, as well as a Clinical Associate Professor with the USD Sanford School of Medicine.

Brian and his wife, Denise, grew up in southeast South Dakota. They met at SDSU, where both were student-athletes – Denise was a sprinter in track, while Brian played basketball. They married shortly after graduation. Three of their five children are SDSU graduates. Brian’s practice over the years included work with SDSU student-athletes. The family was honored by the Alumni Association as the 2016 Family of the Year. Brian has served on the Foundation’s Council of Trustees since 2008.

Their Jackrabbit roots run deep.

Presented with an opportunity to address the need for a modernized human anatomy lab, the Aamlid family made a lead gift of $100,000. In honor of Brian’s dedicated service, Sanford Health gifted $250,000 to help name the human anatomy lab in honor of the Aamlid family.

The Aamlid Family Human Anatomy Lab gives future medical professionals a premier environment to learn by doing. Prior to the facility’s modernization, anatomy was taught in a retrofitted biology lab, with two cadaver tanks behind tables and chairs used for student lectures. Operational but inefficient, the cramped location and outdated equipment limited growth.

The new lab is designed for cadaveric and model-based learning, with a reimagined layout for classes and hands-on dissections. “The lab emulates most professional-level medical and allied health anatomy labs. Ultimately, the new space has permitted efficiency for high-caliber teaching and learning,” said Dr. Ethan Snow, Assistant Professor of Innovation in Anatomy.

The lab has augmented anatomical and educational research efforts. Current cohorts have experimented with virtual reality (VR) technology applied to cadaver-based procedures. The College of Natural Sciences’ faculty and professors are monitoring the effects of VR on learning outcomes.

The lab has also provided space for clinical anatomy research studies. Snow oversaw eight different research projects involving 11 student investigators as of summer 2024.

Since the Aamlid Family Human Anatomy Lab was dedicated in 2021, approximately 750 future healthcare professionals have completed dissection practice each year. More than 1,500 prospective students annually witness the SDSU Anatomy Program’s cutting-edge education. The space prepares students currently on a healthcare track while helping to recruit future ones.

“The Aamlids bring their abundance of positivity, warmth, and love for all things science and SDSU humbly to our students, faculty, and alumni through their leadership and giving,” Snow said. “The Aamlid Family Human Anatomy Lab is named as such to honor their philanthropy, and we are so grateful for their continued friendship and vision.”