Perception and Attitude of Medical Students towards Cadaveric Dissection in Anatomical Science Education

Barriers in Body Donations for Anatomy Teaching: Lessons Learned From Students and Donors

Introduction Cadaveric dissection has remained the mainstay of anatomy teaching. However, there is an acute shortage of cadavers for teaching undergraduate students, postgraduates, and specialists, and to supplement the gap, voluntary body donation is gaining momentum. The present study aims to explore the barriers to body donations for anatomical dissection. Methods A descriptive study was undertaken among medical students and registered voluntary body donors at a medical college in the Upper Assam region of India from January 2024 to March 2024. Results The majority of the first-year MBBS medical students (129 out of 161; 80.1%) were found to be not willing to donate their bodies for anatomical dissection. There was no statistically significant difference in the age, gender, and religion of the participants. The primary reasons for students' reluctance to donate were emotional attachments to themselves, their family members, their religion, and their preferences on social customs for the disposal of the dead. Among the registered voluntary body donors, the most common source of information for the body donation program was an awareness program conducted by NGOs involved in the promotion of body donation. Altruism was the most common motivation for getting registered for body donation. Provision of cadavers for research and training was the most common reason for registration for donation, whereas lack of information was the most common barrier. All the participants wanted due respect for the donated bodies from the doctors, students, and staff during handling. Conclusion The mere possession of knowledge regarding body donation does not increase participation in the actual process. Personal beliefs, repeated motivations by voluntary organizations and registered donors, proper utilization of the bodies, and setting examples in ethical handling of the donated bodies in the dissection hall may greatly improve the body donation program.

Sciatic Nerve and Its Anatomical Variations: In-Depth Understanding Acquired During Dissection Classes

Knowledge of anatomical variability is extremely important in order to better understand the etiology of pain, if present, or to avoid iatrogenic consequences. Sometimes the anatomical "anomalies" have the same anamnesis but different causes. For example, sciatic neuralgia may be caused by a herniated disc or it may have a different origin. The sciatic nerve (SN), also known as the ischial nerve, is the widest in the human body. This huge peripheral nerve originates from the roots of the lumbosacral plexus (L4-S3) and passes through the great sciatic foramen, under the piriformis muscle (PM). However, there is much variability in the pattern of SNs about the muscle, which has been known since the first half of the 20th century. In the present study, we describe six different case reports of anatomical variations of the SN and its interplay with the PM. The observations were made during dissection classes at the ICLO Teaching and Research Centre (Verona, Italy), on both male and female cadavers aged between 58 and 84 years. The SN was reported as a single and divided nerve into the tibial nerve (TN) and the common peroneal nerve (CPN), passing alone above, below, or between the PM. However, the two parts of the SN may also interact with the PM in different ways, adding to the anatomical variability. A thorough knowledge of the anatomical variations in any part of the human body is extremely important. The various techniques used, from imaging to autopsy or surgery, are also useful in the SN pathway. Thus, the anatomical features and the understanding of each variation are useful for a correct approach that can lead to an effective and correct treatment with a favorable outcome.

Fewer medical students are open to body donation after dissecting human cadavers

INTRODUCTION

Cadaver dissection has long been hailed as a vital component of medical education. Although most physicians acknowledge positive impacts of cadaver dissection on their learning, they are less likely to will their bodies for anatomical dissection than the general public. This study aims to determine whether the proportion of medical students open to willed body donation changes after completing cadaver dissection.

METHODS

We conducted a longitudinal study surveying 323 medical students across three cohorts before and after anatomical dissection of human cadavers. Through the survey, students indicated whether they would will their body for anatomical dissection. Additionally, students responded to items regarding the rationale underlying their decision, demographics and perceived effects of anatomical dissection on medical education.

RESULTS

The proportion of students who expressed openness to willed body donation decreased by 25% after cadaver dissection. Of the 171 students who initially stated they would will their body, 61 (35%) changed their response after completing cadaver dissection. Those who cited religion as a motivating factor were less likely to show openness to body donation, whereas those who cited ethical factors were more likely.

CONCLUSIONS

This study documents a substantial decrease in the proportion of students open to willed body donation after completion of cadaver dissection. Despite this, students almost universally report educational benefits of cadaver dissection. This raises interesting questions regarding the emotional impact of cadaver dissection and the ethical implications of willed body donation.

Altruism in death: Attitudes to body and organ donation in Australian students

Health education, research, and training rely on the altruistic act of body donation for the supply of cadavers. Organ transplantation and research rely on donated organs. Supply of both is limited, with further restrictions in Australia due to requirements for a next-of-kin agreement to donation, irrespective of the deceased's pre-death consent. Research suggests health workers are less likely to support the donation of their own bodies and/or organs, despite recognizing the public good of donation, and that exposure to gross anatomy teaching may negatively affect support for donation. Attitudes to body and organ donation were examined in Australian students studying anatomy. Support for self-body donation (26.5%) was much lower than support for self-organ donation (82.5%). Ten percent of participants would not support the election of a family member or member of the public to donate their body, and just over 4% would not support the election of a family member to donate their organs, with one-to-two percent not supporting this election by a member of the public. Exposure to gross anatomy teaching was associated with an increased likelihood of consideration of issues about body and organ donation, whether for self, family, or the public, and registration as an organ donor. Exposure decreased participants' willingness to donate their own body, with those who practiced a religion least likely to support body donation. Gross anatomy courses provide an opportunity to inform future healthcare workers about altruistic donation, albeit with a recognition that religious or cultural beliefs may affect willingness to donate.

Past and Current Learning and Teaching Resources and Platforms

For over two centuries, the educational landscape both nationally and globally has changed tremendously. The more traditional teaching and learning resources and platforms, such as traditional textbooks, chalkboards and whiteboards, overhead transparency and carousel projectors, and traditional classroom settings, have been either replaced or supplemented in the anatomical sciences by integrated and virtual eBooks, online learning management (OLM) platforms, and virtual learning and meeting apps. Virtual teaching and learning, especially proliferated with the advent and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and institutions worldwide that had already been utilizing virtual class and lab sessions in their anatomy curricula expanded virtual course offerings. Many institutions have retained virtual course offerings even after the pandemic, given the distance learning benefits. The future of anatomy education holds many promising possibilities given the voracious speed with which technology is advancing. One such promising advancement is the full, seamless incorporation of virtual three-dimensional (3D) immersive and semi-immersive learning into anatomy laboratories and classroom settings globally as well as into students' laptops and handheld devices for easy use at home or anywhere.

Cross-Sectional Study on the Comparative Assessment of Mandibular Anesthesia (Inferior Alveolar Nerve Blockage) Manual Skills Shaping among Dentists on Plastic and Biomaterial Models

Background: Providing regional anesthesia skills shaping remains relevant nowadays. A number of studies show that dentists have difficulties with these working independently. The study aim is the comparative analysis of the results of mandibular anesthesia (IANB) manual-skills shaping among dentists on plastic models and cadavers. Methods: In total, 999 participants were training in the skills of mandibular anesthesia from 2017 to 2021. The participants were divided in a random way into two groups: 700 participants were trained on plastic models, and 299 were trained on the cadaver material. After a lecture on the clinical and anatomical guidelines for IANB, a demonstration of the technique was provided, with subsequent testing of the injection technique. Satisfaction with the aspects of the training was assessed using the Likert scale. Results: the analysis of average values showed that participants from the group in which the manual skills were practiced on cadavers were more satisfied with the main aspects of the training, according to the sum of the main criteria of the modified scale. Conclusions: The important advantages of cadaver educational technology are that the sensations of tissue resistance are identical to natural ones, the individuality of each object, and the possibility of the visual study of the anesthesia technique, by dissection of the needle course and the location of the anesthetic depot.