Regarding the Dead: A Model for Anatomical Gifting Outside the Traditional Medical School Setting

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy
• Higher Education Administration

Background:

• Universities without medical schools often lack in-house Anatomical Gift Programs (AGPs).
• Elon University initiated an AGP in 2017, accepting only first-person-consenting donors.
• The program aimed to support anatomy education and become self-sufficient.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the establishment, costs, and benefits of an in-house AGP at a university without a medical school.
• To outline the policy development, public outreach, and operational aspects of the AGP.
• To assess the program's financial viability and educational impact.

Main Methods:

• Development of an in-house Anatomical Gift Program (AGP) at Elon University.
• Implementation of policy, public outreach, and on-site donor preparation.
• Tracking of program costs, donor demographics, and outreach activities.

Main Results:

• The AGP became self-sufficient within 2.5 years, supporting multiple academic programs.
• Extensive outreach engaged the community, registering 320 individuals and 41 donors.
• On-site donor preparation reduced costs from $2,100 to $1,260 per donor.

Conclusions:

• Establishing an in-house AGP is feasible and beneficial for universities without medical schools.
• The program enhances anatomy education, ensures donor consent, and provides valuable data.
• Community engagement and efficient on-site operations are key to AGP success.