The Unofficial Guide to First Year - University of Oklahoma Health ...

UNOFFICIAL GUIDE
Anatomical Donor Luncheon &
Service of Appreciation and
Remembrance
CHAPTER
5
A
s you have probably heard, one of the most eagerly anticipated and most memorable
classes of the first year of medical school is Gross Anatomy. Although dissecting the
human body can be somewhat difficult to begin, the OU College of Medicine started a
program in 2001 to emphasize the human aspect of the course and to foster respect at the
sacrifice that the donors and their families have made.
On Friday, the final day of your Orientation, you will have
lunch with the family of your cadaver…not just any family
that had a loved one who was a donor, but the actual
family of the cadaver who will be teaching you.
While the thought of this lunch may give you pause at first,
go in with an open mind and you will come away enriched.
By learning about your donor – their interests, hobbies, likes,
dislikes, and memories from loved ones, you will gain a
greater appreciation for the donor, and have a deeper
understanding of the sacrifice he/she has made.
The Dean’s office will have a discussion during orientation
to prepare you for the luncheon. Using examples from last
year, a facilitator and a student will talk with your mod
about those difficult questions that may come up and
prepare you with answers. They will also discuss the
Willed Body Program itself, and talk about the legal aspects
surrounding it. Finally, they will address your questions
and concerns, and hopefully make you feel at ease and
prepared to gain the most out of the experience.
During the spring semester, the Vice President of your class will take on the task of organizing the
Service of Appreciation and Remembrance, a memorial for the donors. Last year, a moving service
with speakers, musicians, and refreshments was held at in the Allied Health Building to pay
respects and give thanks for all that we have learned. Last year, the class of 2012 presented a
plaque engraved with the names of all the donors at the ceremony as a tribute to those who so
altruistically contribute to our learning.
It has been said that the greatest teacher of anatomy is the body of the donor itself…and you will
quickly find this to be true. Without the selfless giving of so many people, we could not learn to
become doctors.
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