Human gross anatomy: A crucial time to encourage respect and compassion in students

Abstract

We suggest four ways in which human gross anatomy instructors can reinforce respect and compassion in students. First, encourage respectful language in the laboratory. The term “donor” should be used instead of “cadaver” or “corpse” in referring to the donated body because this promotes appreciation for the students' first “patient.” Second, provide the students with the actual name, age, history, and likely cause of death of the donor so that they more fully appreciate the donor as having once been a living human being. Third, prompt students to explore feelings and discuss topics stimulated by the intense experience of human dissection. Suggested topics include the students' feelings about dissecting a human being, the difficulty in deciding to donate one's body, the central importance of anatomy to a medical practitioner's role, and the historical development of the study of anatomy. Fourth, hold a memorial ceremony, in which both students and faculty participate, as a positive closure to an emotionally and intellectually intense course. Additionally, a ceremony reinforces salutary values in students, enhances social bonding among students, and encourages their appreciation of various cultural and religious beliefs. These methods introduce a new dimension of experience for anatomy students. We have developed these methods in response to what we view as a negative trend in the medical profession in which health care becomes technical and patients become objects. It is our role as faculty to reinforce respectful and compassionate attitudes in medical students from the very beginning. © 1995 WiIey‐Liss, Inc.

Reflective journals: unmasking student perceptions of anatomical education

“…We support the views expressed by Weeks et al [89] that students should be encouraged to talk about the thoughts and feelings aroused by dissection and to reflect on these experiences. The authors propose that a commemoration ceremony be held at the end of an emotionally and intellectually demanding course to give students closure.…”

“…of being a teacher and not viewed as a mere medical object) as well as its personal qualities (name, age, cause of death). Several authors suggest that supplying as much personal and medical history of the cadaver would reinforce respect and compassion to interested students [19,69,86,[88][89][90]. This may alleviate some of the stresses experienced by students.…”

Survey of the educational roles of the faculty of anatomy departments

“…As a result, the anatomy department faculty, who are among the first to teach students at most medical schools, may influence the style of interaction that future physicians will adopt toward their patients (Gustavson, 1988;Weeks et al, 1995). Much of this process of influence will occur implicitly through the behavior of the faculty toward the students and toward the cadaver.…”

The anatomy of anatomy: A review for its modernization

“…If body donations are taken for granted, it becomes more difficult to fully welcome the opportunities provided in the dissection room that cannot be learned from simply reading. Simple techniques for students to evoke a sense of humanity for their cadavers through a patient-centered approach and practicing humanistic values have been thoroughly explored (Weeks et al, 1995;Marks et al, 1997;Rizzolo, 2002;Schwartz et al, 2008;Lin et al, 2009).…”