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Published on: November 19, 2017
Lessons from the dead: the experiences of undergraduates working with cadavers
Brent Dean Robbins1, Ashley Tomaka, Cara Innus
1Point Park University, Pittsburgh, USA. bdeanrob@janushead.org
Omega
|March 27, 2009
Summary
Medical students experience complex emotions during human cadaver dissection, often needing to justify the practice. Understanding these feelings helps improve anatomy education and prepares students for medical challenges.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Gross Anatomy
- Human Cadaver Studies
Background:
- Human cadaver dissection is a traditional medical education tool facing challenges from virtual alternatives.
- Previous research indicates cadaver work is both distressing and rewarding for students.
- Ethical concerns and costs impact the use of cadavers in medical programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze undergraduate students' experiences and emotional responses during human cadaver dissection.
- To identify common themes and coping mechanisms related to cadaver use in gross anatomy.
- To provide recommendations for enhancing the pedagogical value of cadaver dissection.
Main Methods:
- Empirical phenomenological analysis of 21 undergraduate students' journal entries.
- Qualitative analysis to identify common themes and individual coping strategies.
- Exploration of students' perceptions of the cadaver's dual status (person vs. machine).
Main Results:
- Identified 19 common themes in student journal entries regarding cadaver dissection.
- Students frequently expressed a need to justify the act of dissection.
- Observed varied student coping mechanisms for the cadaver's ambiguous status.
Conclusions:
- Cadaver dissection elicits complex emotional responses, including the need for justification.
- Students perceive cadavers as both deceased individuals and anatomical subjects.
- Recommendations are proposed to support students emotionally and pedagogically through dissection.
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