Medical Ethics and the Future of Dissection: A Scholarly Review

Abstract: The merits of cadaveric dissection in medical training have been increasingly called into question as more programs shift towards alternatives each year. This scholarly review of dissection ethics underscores considerations both for and against cadaveric learning, and our findings reveal complex motivations on either side of the issue.

Those in favor of using cadavers emphasize the importance of early dissection experience for medical students, suggesting that such exposure prior to their first OR encounter is necessary for teaching empathy, desensitizing medical students to the realities of healthcare, and imparting essential surgical skills. Consensus among the surgical community overwhelmingly prefers traditional anatomy lab for teaching medical undergraduates. However, the sustainability of live anatomy labs is challenged by difficulties procuring body donations and maintaining laboratory facilities. This is compounded by high costs needed for oversight to prevent cadaver mismanagement.

In lieu of these challenges, prosection, virtual dissection, and AR/VR options are attractive alternatives. They provide students who struggle with cadaveric dissection a supplemental avenue to develop confidence in handling surgical situations in a low stakes setting. Further, it remains that not every student will prefer cadaveric dissection, and alternative options may be more desirable to students seeking accommodations, such as pregnant or disabled individuals. There are multiple perspectives to account for when adapting an anatomy curriculum, and changes should not be made without respect to the many facets of dissection. We herein discuss the empirical role of cadavers in medical education, their ancillary effects, and the future of dissection.

James Chen – University of Texas Medical Branch