Dissection course of the human body for PT/OT students and seminars on medical ethics conducted prior to and following the dissections

• Published in: Structure and Function Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 99 - 109
• Main Authors: YAMADA, Kiyo, SINOZAKI, Ryoko, FUJIWARA, Masahiro, SAWADA, Masahiro, MATSUDA, Seiji, KOBAYASHI, Naoto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Co-medical Research Society of Structure and Function 2008
• Subjects: dissection course of the human body; medical ethics; questionnaires; small group learning
• ISSN: 1347-7145; 1884-6084
• DOI: 10.11172/keitaikinou2002.6.99

In 2004 a dissection course of the human body was introduced for the first year PT-OT students, where the students perform the dissection by themselves, in other words“with their own scalpels”, supported by Ehime University Medical School. Based on questionnaires to the students participated in these courses, this study examined how changed students' thoughts on medical ethics related to humanity through a small group learning environment. The questionnaires were given to first year students in 2005 (PT only), 2006 (PT only) and 2007 both (PT and OT) . The results in 2005 and 2006 have been previously analyzed and published elsewhere (Yamada K, et al., J Jap Physical Therapy Ass, 2008 in press.) . Some results of the questionnaires in 2007 showed similar results to the previous ones. Those were“Watching dissection is a fearful event.”“Don't want to do the dissection”and“When you become a PT or OT, dissection is very useful to you.”The results also showed that students understood that dissection is important, but some students experienced considerable stress during the dissection course. From 2005 to 2007, gradual change was found in the answers to“If your family member wants to leave their body to medicine when they die, you would agree with them”and“When you die you'll donate your body to medicine.”The students' idea about death demonstrates a wide variety, and the difference may be getting wider. Teachers have to understand the student's personal thoughts, while the students need time to consider about the medical ethics.