IJAR.2017.283
Type of Article: Original Research
Volume 5; Issue 3.2 (August 2017)
Page No.: 4195-4203
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2017.283
CADAVER CEREMONIES AS A FOUNDATION STEP FOR BIOETHCS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
Dinesh kumar. V *1, S. Jayagandhi 1, V.K.Nim 1, Manjiri Phansalkar 2, Thomas Alexander 3.
*1 Department of Anatomy, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry, India.
2 Co-ordinator, Division of Humanities in medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry, India.
3 Former Dean, Medical Education Unit, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, India.
Address for Correspondence: Dr. Dinesh kumar. V, Department of Anatomy, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry, India. E-Mail: dinesh.88560@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Introduction: A cadaver is the first “body” upon which students lay their hands. The student-cadaver relationship stabilised on humanities can serve as a simulation for future doctor-patient relationship. This calls for the “humanities” in medicine to be incorporated into the anatomy curriculum
Methodology: It included 150 students of the first year of medical college. An interpretative phenomenological analysis of students’ reflections upon first exposure to cadaver and during the gratitude ceremony was done.
Results: The responses were classified under four themes (cognitive, moral, behavioural and affective) according to the Triune brain model. Responses during gratitude ceremony are generated as such.
Conclusion: Our initiative provides adequate scope for reflective writing, fulfils most criteria for a hidden curriculum and acts as foundation step for bioethics. Rather than reducing into a narrower set of generalizable constructs as in qualitative studies, students’ holistic experiences when presented as such would convey the intended plurality.
Key words: Cadaver Disrobing, Phenomenological Study, Hidden Curriculum, Bioethics.
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