Attitudes Toward Cadavers and Teaching Methods in Anatomy

Abstract

Anatomy is considered to be the cornerstone of medical education. Current school of thought for anatomy pedagogy are the classic dissection and prosection. With technology, other ways of teaching anatomy are emerging. The continued use of cadavers to teach anatomy is currently a hot topic among anatomist, medical educators, and within anatomical associations and societies. Are cadavers still needed for teaching anatomy in medical education? There was limited research that took the students perceptions of how anatomy is taught into account. In this qualitative study, the attitudes of medical students toward cadavers and alternate teaching methods used in anatomy were analyzed. The study was specifically aimed at first year medical students currently taking anatomy at a medical school at a major university. 20 first year medical students were interviewed for the study. The findings of the study are important for those involved in budgeting and curriculum development in medical education. The findings of the study seem to be in line with the most accepted practice of teaching anatomy, and indicate that students find value in the use of cadavers as teaching method.