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Embalmed cadaver tissues and organs that are dissected in gross anatomy laboratories lack many characteristics of fresh or living tissues. The purpose of this study was to assess the educational value of allowing first-year medical students to experience first-hand the color, texture, delicacy and other qualities of living porcine tissues and organs that are similar to those of human tissues. Guided by a laboratory protocol, medical students palpated and inspected organs of the opened thorax, abdomen and pelvis of anesthetized pigs on pulmonary ventilators. The learning experience was rated highly by the students as well as by the participating faculty. A further review of the medical students' later experiences at autopsies and in surgical clerkships showed that the living-tissue experience in their gross anatomy course represented a large part of their medical school exposure to unembalmed tissues.