Counting the Dead: Who is Teaching Anatomy to Physical Therapy Students?

Abstract

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of the history and current literature surrounding the use of unclaimed dead in anatomy education and to quantify the number, origin, and donation status of cadavers being used in teaching anatomy in physical therapist (PT) education programs. This data will support the need for anatomy educators in PT education programs to inform themselves and their students about willed body donation programs. Faculty should insist that every cadaver used in anatomy education in PT education programs has consented to be there. Participants. A list of accredited PT education programs was created (n = 217), and a survey was sent to each school for the anatomy educator to complete. Methods. An electronic survey was generated to collect number, sources, and origins of cadavers used in anatomy education in PT education programs. Descriptive statistics were used to report survey responses. Results. There were 99 responses (46% response rate), representing anatomy educators from 40 states. Anatomy educators reported during the past year they have taught PT anatomy alongside a total of 930 cadavers, and identified the sources of their cadavers: medical schools (52%); in house gift programs (24%); state anatomy boards (17%); private organizations (5%); a willed body program not attached to a medical school or in house (1%); and no source, as the program does not use cadavers (1%). Anatomy educators were asked if they knew the origin of the donors using the following definitions: (1) Registered donor: individual has consented to participate in anatomy education; (2) next of kin: family member has provided consent; (3) unclaimed dead: neither the individual nor a family member has provided consent. Discussion and Conclusions. Seventy-eight percent of anatomy educators reported knowing the origin of cadavers used to teach physical therapy anatomy, 10% reported not knowing, and 12% were uncertain. Anatomy educators reported that 72% (n = 670) of cadavers are registered donors, 3% (n = 30) are next of kin donations, and 0% (n = 0) are unclaimed dead. Anatomy educators were not able to categorize 25% (n = 230) of cadavers used during anatomy instruction in PT education programs. While the majority of PT education programs access cadavers via a medical school that has an anatomical gift program, some rely on state anatomy boards, private organizations, or on multiple sources. Most anatomy educators in PT education programs know the origin of the cadavers they use during instruction (78%), but some are uncertain. Anatomy educators report that their nonliving colleagues are mostly registered donors, and some are next of kin donations. No respondents report working with unclaimed dead. There is a difference of 230 cadavers (25%) who are not accounted for as registered, next of kin, or unclaimed. While these researchers recommend that direct consent be obtained from all of our nonliving colleagues, this could result in temporary donor shortages in anatomy laboratories. There is an immediate need for public education around the topic of whole body donation and increased involvement from anatomists in PT education programs in this process.