Anatomy: An Opportunity for South African Health Science Students to Discuss Their Emotional Responses to Human Remains in the Laboratory

Medical students' initial experiences of the dissection room and interaction with body donors: A qualitative study of professional identity formation, educational benefits, and the experience of Pasifika students

The first experience of medical students in the dissecting room (DR) likely influences professional identity formation (PIF). Sparse data exist exploring how exposure to the DR and body donors without undertaking dissection influences PIF, or how culture may influence this experience. This qualitative study explored students' first, non-dissection DR experience to determine how this contributes to PIF, including the impact of culture through a Pasifika-student lens. It also explored student perspectives on what learning opportunities are unique to this experience. Medical students with no prior DR experience were recruited and then interviewed after initial engagement with the DR and body donors. Questions included participant experiences, cultural perspectives, and how the DR differed from other teaching experiences. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Twenty students were interviewed (mean age 22 years, 12 females; 8 Pasifika) resulting in 520 min of audio recording (mean 26 min). Four primary themes were identified: professional identity formation, educational elements, death and spirituality, and cultural perspectives. Three subthemes including student experiences, behaviors, and environment were developed within each theme. Findings indicate development of PIF likely occurs from a single engagement with body donors without undertaking dissection, including recognition of professional role. Culture can play an important role for students, with several Pasifika students viewing the DR as a "cultural purgatory". Unique learning experiences are identified, such as cultural awareness around behaviors with the dead. The experience is an educational "threshold concept" where students likely undergo substantial developments in PIF, and educational initiatives to support students are outlined.

Habituation for professional learning: a qualitative study of physiotherapy students' experiences working with anatomy cadavers

INTRODUCTION

Cadaveric dissection shapes the ways in which healthcare students understand the human body and the attitudes, identities and behaviors they exhibit as health professionals. There is however a paucity of related research with physiotherapy (PT) students.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this interpretivist study was to investigate PT students' conceptions of the human body in relation to experiences with human cadavers in anatomy education.

METHODS

Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with PT students along with four optional written reflections completed. Data was thematically analyzed.

RESULTS

Students engaged in a continuous process of habituation involving oscillation between "humanization" and "dehumanization" of cadavers in the anatomy lab. We describe the contextual mediators that shaped the process, the multi-sensory and emotional experience of the students, and the "interruptions" that contributed to the variability in their conceptions over time and contexts. Students ultimately habituated toward dehumanization which had multiple effects on learning and professionalization.

CONCLUSION

Study findings highlight the complexity of PT students' experiences and learning within the cadaver lab outside of the formal goals of anatomy education. We discuss the implications for anatomy curricula, including the potential advantages of incorporating a biopsychosocial approach.

The impact of human cadaveric dissection on professional identity formation in medical students

BACKGROUND

As technology advances, some schools are moving away from human cadaveric dissection to teach anatomy, leading to concern regarding the possible loss of a professional identity building experience. This study explored the role of dissection in students' professional identity formation.

METHODS

A mixed-methods study was conducted using survey methodology and semi-structured interviews of medical students at an American-style graduate-entry medical school in Singapore. The questionnaire adopted the conceptual framework of the Ring Theory of Personhood and the MacLeod-Clark Professional Identity Scale was used to measure professional identity, followed by semi-structured interviews of students using Braun and Clarke's six-phase reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Respondents did not differ substantively from non-respondents by age, nationality, or ethnicity, and year of entering medical school, however, they were slightly more female dominant. The number of hours of hands-on participation in dissection showed no significant relationship (r2 = 0.010; p = 0.424) with professional identity formation measured by the MacLeod-Clark Professional Identity Scale. Despite the survey results, semi-structured interviews revealed rich and nuanced findings suggesting the influence of dissection in participants' professional identity formation through deepening students' appreciation of humanistic values and enhancing their notions of patients' personhood. Notably, students without dissection experience did not express these sentiments and were orientated towards knowledge acquisition.

CONCLUSION

While our findings do not suggest that dissection strongly impacts students' professional identity formation, students shared thought-provoking experiences which suggest some level of its contribution. Careful consideration of this phenomenon should be exercised prior to removing dissection in favour of technological alternatives.