DUBLIN:Medical students have started using a teaching aid that helps them learn where key surgical incisions are made and understand the experience of the patient.

The 'Incision gown' has nine zips showing where and at what angle a surgeon would cut during surgery.

Designed by artist Karen Fleming in collaboration with Prof John McLachlan, associate dean at Durham University's School for Health, the gown was used for the first time in January.

"It was worn by first-year medical students in Durham in January and we will use it every year," McLachlan said.

Once a zip is opened, the student sees a representation of the muscles underneath the skin at the point of incision.

The gown is made of silk, a material Fleming chose for its similarity to human skin.

The second use of the gown is to help students better understand the experience of the patient during surgery.

A layer of material can be pulled over the wearer's face, making them anonymous. The way medical students distance themselves from the patient has long been seen as a desirable outcome of current modes of training.

"This 'desensitisation' also brings with it the risk of objectifying the body," said McLachlan. The gown was conceived based on how both students and patients react to surgery. "We see it not as a pure carrier of knowledge but as something that would make a serious subject fun."

Two gowns were made, the second of which is on display in science museums across the US. A number of medical schools there have expressed an interest in using the gown, and its creators are discussing producing more.