Bernard G. Slavin, Keck professor of anatomy, dies


Bernard G. Slavin, a forensic anatomy expert and associate professor of gross anatomy and histology at the USC Keck School of Medicine, died Saturday of complications from advanced prostate cancer. He was 74.

Slavin · The professor also served as an expert witness in courts. - Photo courtesy of Keck

Slavin was a lecturer for the biological systems course at  the Keck School of Medicine and had taught at the university for 36 years. He attended UC Berkeley for his undergraduate education and received his master’s and doctorate degrees in human anatomy from UC San Francisco.

At Keck, Slavin was an instructor in surgical anatomy for orthopedic, radiology and internal organ injuries.

In addition to his work at Keck, Slavin used his expertise in human anatomy to provide testimony in court for law firms as an expert witness.

Curtis Okamoto, associate professor of pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences who taught alongside Slavin, said Slavin was highly regarded as a professor.

“[Slavin] was well-liked and well-respected by all the students in the courses he taught,” Okamoto said.  “Every student regarded him as a very intelligent and knowledgeable person.”

Richard Dang, a third-year student in the School of Pharmacy, and the president of the Associated Students of the School of Pharmacy, also remembers Slavin as a very passionate teacher.

“Dr. Slavin lectured the biological systems course that all pharmacy students have to take during their first year, and [many students] considered it the highlight of [their] first year,” Dang said. “The course he taught was very difficult, but he taught in a way that we could easily understand.”

Dang also said Slavin’s reputation for outstanding teaching was renowned throughout the School of Pharmacy.

“Each year, the School of Pharmacy awards one professor the award of Professor of the Year,” Dang said. “Dr. Slavin was consistently nominated because he was so well-liked by all the students.”

1 reply
  1. John
    John says:

    Correction: Dr. Slavin taught the Biological Systems course in the School of Pharmacy not the Keck School of Medicine, where he taught the Gross Anatomy course

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