Drawing Our Feelings: An Approach to the First Day of Cadaver Dissection

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RATIONALEThe cadaver dissection experience can elicit intense emotions in students who are taking anatomy for the first time. Students are often disinclined to share these feelings with others because they believe they are the only ones experiencing such feelings and/or do not want to appear less able than their student colleagues to cope. Discussing anticipatory feelings about the dissection process can reduce students’ feelings of isolation, imposter syndrome, and simple nervousness by revealing that most students share similar experiences and that there is a range of normal anticipatory feelings.METHODSFor the last 10 years at Boston University School of Medicine we have employed the following exercise on the first day of anatomy: Students are asked to draw their answers to the question, “How do you feel about the experience of dissecting a human body?” After the drawing exercise the course director presents a slideshow of drawings from the same exercise by previous classes. The slideshow demonstrates that there are common themes exhibited by students in every class: mixed feelings, all alone/nervous, physiologic reactions, journey, knowledge, enthusiasm, and the humanity of their donor. The students are then invited to share comments or ask questions in a large group discussion format. Participation in this session is typically lively, likely because the drawing exercise and slideshow demonstrate to individual students that their responses are normal and expected.RESULTS & CONCLUSIONSThe combination of exercises illustrates for students that there is a variety of normal reactions to the dissection experience. The exercise opens opportunities for dialogue that are otherwise less likely to occur. The overall result is a culture within the class that is open to acknowledging and discussing the complex feelings elicited by dissection.