<P> The Galenic doctrine in Europe was first seriously challenged in the 16th century . Thanks to the printing press , all over Europe a collective effort proceeded to circulate the works of Galen and later publish criticisms on their works . Vesalius openly denied Galen 's anatomical teachings that is based on observations of other mammals , not human bodies . Andreas Vesalius , born and educated in Belgium , contributed the most to human anatomy . Vesalius 's success was due in large part to him exercising the skills of mindful dissections for the sake of understanding anatomy , much to the tune of Galen 's `` anatomy project '' instead of focusing on the work of other scholars of the time in recovering the ancient texts of Hippocrates , Galen and others ( which much of the medical community was focused around at the time ). Vesalius was the first to publish a treatise , De humani corporis fabrica , that challenged Galen `` drawing for drawing '' . These drawings were a detailed series of explanations and vivid drawings of the anatomical parts of human bodies . Vesalius traveled all the way from Leuven to Padua for permission to dissect victims from the gallows without fear of persecution . His superbly executed drawings are triumphant descriptions of the differences between dogs and humans , but it took a century for Galen 's influence to fade . His work led to anatomy marked a new era in the study of anatomy and its relation to medicine . Under Vesalius , anatomy became an actual discipline . `` His skill in and attention to dissection featured prominently in his publications as well as his demonstrations , in his research as well as his teaching . '' In 1540 , Vesalius gave a public demonstration of the inaccuracies of Galen 's anatomical theories , which are still the orthodoxy of the medical profession . Vesalius now has on display , for comparison purposes , the skeletons of a human being alongside that of an ape of which he was able to show , that in many cases , Galen 's observations were indeed correct for the ape , but bear little relation to man . Clearly what was needed was a new account of human anatomy . While the lecturer explained human anatomy , as revealed by Galen more than 1000 years earlier , an assistant pointed to the equivalent details on a dissected corpse . At times , the assistant was unable to find the organ as described , but invariably the corpse rather than Galen was held to be in error . Vesalius then decided that he will dissect corpses himself and trust to the evidence of what he found . His approach was highly controversial , but his evident skill led to his appointment as professor of surgery and anatomy at the University of Padua . </P>
who was the anatomist that taught anatomy to medical students using cadavers in the 1500s
Andreas Vesalius