Emotional feelings experienced by medical students at cadaver dissections
Abstract
Introduction: Human cadaver dissection is central in medical teaching/learning in initial years of medical undergraduates and there are varieties of mixed feelings/emotional reactions experienced when exposed to human cadavers. Adverse physical and psychological effects to human dissection have been reported particularly with European, American and Canadian students, 25.2% experiencing depression and nightmares.
Objective: To assess the emotional feelings experienced by medical students at cadaver dissection
Methods: Two hundred and eighty-five(285) students of FMS, USJP of 2006/2007 and 2009/2010 A/L intake completed a simple self administered questionnaire regarding emotional feelings experienced at cadaver dissections.
Results: Majority 63.5% (181/285)] of students were apprehensive in handling/dissecting the cadaver when they entered the dissecting hall for the first time. 52.3% (149/285) considered the cadaveric dissections stimulating, 64.6%(184/285) challenging, 50.5%(144/285) enjoyable and 57.8%(165/285) as an informative environment. Female medical students were 3.3 times more worried than peer male students when entering the dissecting room. 54.7 %(156/285) students felt that an interaction with anatomy staff explaining/ mentally preparing for dissections prior to entering the dissecting hall would lessen the emotional impact and reduce anxiety. Percentage 53.3 (152/285) considered cadaver dissection based teaching as an important educational and emotional skill training method, and 83.5%(238/285) considered it to be helpful in future surgical skills.
Conclusions: Although the majority of medical students are initially apprehensive towards dissections they realize the value of dissections as an educational, emotional and surgical skills training method. The initial adverse emotional reactions to cadaver dissections are relatively less than the documented European, American and Canadian figures.
