The Utilization of Animals as Models for Human Autopsies in Medical Education, Supported by Peer-Assisted Tutoring

Human autopsy is widely used to investigate and confirm the causes of death. Commonly reported cases involve the cardiovascular and cerebral systems. However, human autopsy practices have been restricted due to ethical and religious implications in many countries.

The study aims to know if using human autopsy techniques on animal models might be an effective way for teaching post-mortem autopsy to medical students and exposing them to clinical pathology involving vital organs in medical education and find out the role of peer-assisted learning in improving the process.

Two pre-lab sessions were conducted to emphasize the embryological and structural similarities and explain the differences between the human brain and heart and animal models: cow brain and sheep heart. Other two sessions of organ dissection were provided to perform human autopsy techniques on animal models practically for educational purposes. Peer-assisted tutoring was implemented. Questionnaires, interviews, and the Delphi technique were used to triangulate the assessment. A year later, participating foreign exchange students were interviewed to evaluate the long-term impacts based on Kirkpatrick models.

The questionnaire showed students' satisfaction with the autopsy workshops and peer-assisted tutoring. The last session was attended by foreign exchange students whose feedback proves the implementation can be done in different medical education systems around the globe.

This study shows that animal model autopsy provides a valuable alternative in medical education and improves the students' comprehension and clinical skills, and peer-assisted learning has a secondary role in enhancing it.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-023-01735-w.