Survey of the educational roles of the faculty of anatomy departments

Abstract

The anatomy dissection laboratory is a unique experience where medical students begin the transition from layman to physician, and may be a student's first experience with death. Attitudes developed there may influence interactions with future patients and their families. Consequently, anatomy faculty are in a position to recognize emotional issues that students may confront and to guide them toward becoming humane physicians. We surveyed anatomy faculty to assess acceptance of this expanded role and their means of meeting these obligations. A spokesperson for the anatomy department at each US and Canadian medical or osteopathic college (n = 142) was surveyed. One hundred three (73%) questionnaires were returned. Respondents overwhelmingly (93% agree or strongly agree) accept an educational role that includes helping students to become caring physicians and dealing with death and dying. Seventy‐nine percent agree or strongly agree that the anatomy laboratory can affect students' later relationships with patients. Time for laboratory orientation is limited (55%, 1 hour or less) and is used to address technical topics, such as rules for student behavior. Most departments (58%) have four or more memorial activities to acknowledge the contribution of the donors. The anatomy faculty who responded to the survey accept responsibility for acculturating preclinical students to medicine. Respondents identified additional orientation topics and expanded memorial activities to accomplish this goal. Clin. Anat. 10:264–271, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss Inc.

Attitudes of healthcare students on gross anatomy laboratory sessions

“…Unpleasant aspects of the dissection room included smell, seeing the face of the cadaver, and touching the cadaver (Arrá ez-Aybar et al, 2008), all of which could be avoided without dissecting the cadaver. Because a negative experience in gross anatomy might influence interactions with future patients (Gustavson, 1988;Finkelstein and Mathers, 1990;Bourguet et al, 1997;Arrá ez-Aybar et al, 2004b), anatomy educators teaching physical therapy students need to be sensitive to students' reactions.…”

“…The gross anatomy laboratory can be emotionally trying for medical students (Gustavson, 1988;Finkelstein and Mathers, 1990;Horne et al, 1990;Dickinson et al, 1997;Dinsmore et al, 1999Dinsmore et al, , 2001Houwink et al, 2004), and a traumatic experience in the gross anatomy laboratory can influence future patient interactions (Gustavson, 1988;Finkelstein and Mathers, 1990;Bourguet et al, 1997). We believe that these findings may apply not only to medical but also to physical therapy students, but few data are available on this topic.…”

Orientation to dissection: Assisting students through the transition

“…A brief introduction to the anatomy laboratory occurs in some North American medical schools (Hafferty,1991; Lella and Pawluch,1988; Penney,1985). Others introduce students to the family members of the cadavers with the intent of enhancing students' humanistic qualities (Bourguet et al,1997). Marks et al (1997) describe different approaches in two medical schools that both aim to integrate dissection with death and dying courses, give students tours through the laboratory before dissecting, and address coping skills.…”

Analysis of Cadaver Population: A Retrospective Study in a Medical Teaching Institution in West Bengal

“…Besides Anatomy, cadavers are often used for practicing surgical skills and also to develop newer surgical technique before applying the same therapeutically with confidence over patients. With the increase in number of medical teaching institutions in our country, a steady supply of cadavers is becoming very essential to meet the requirement [4,[6][7].…”