What’s Important (Arts & Humanities): The Silent Teacher

Abstract

provides firstyear medical students with a unique, hands-on surgical skills education experience as part of their gross anatomy course. Under the guidance of orthopaedic residents and faculty, students perform procedures on cadavers, including plate fixation (distal radial and fibular), fasciotomy, and carpal tunnel release. Initiated in 2015, these sessions introduce students to how surgeons think about anatomy. The sessions aim to enhance student understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy by demonstrating the clinical relevance of the information that the students are learning. In addition, the exercise provides students with early exposure to the field of orthopaedic surgery while offering the orthopaedic residents an opportunity to practice their teaching skills.Throughout the 4-year curriculum, the medical students are encouraged to be introspective about their education as part of the formation of their professional identity 1,2 . Reflection may be especially important surrounding cadaver dissection, which can elicit complex emotions 3 . The cadaver has been referred to as the medical students' "silent teacher." 4 Careful reflection about the experience and the persons who donated their bodies for student education may contribute to students' empathy and appreciation for human dignity 3 .In the poem entitled "What you give," first-year medical student and aspiring orthopaedic surgeon Eve Glenn thoughtfully reflects on her experience in the skills laboratory described above. She honors the cadaver, expressing gratitude for the gift, while appreciating how the knowledge and surgical skills that she gains will help her restore function in future patients. We encourage all current and future orthopaedic surgeons to define their roles with introspection and compassion, recognizing the critical impact that they have on patient care. The poem below aims to reinforce this ethos. What giveScrews fastened, volar plate secured For someone who will not grasp the "cure."