IJAR.2024.244
Type of Article: Original Research
Volume 13; Issue 2 (June 2025)
Page No.: 9188-9196
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2024.244
Health Impacts and Hygiene Practices In Cadaveric Dissection Among Medical Students – A Questionnaire Survey
Muthu Prathibha Kathiresan 1, Melissa Shaelyn 2, Priscilla Johnson *3.
1 Professor, Department of Physiology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7069-347X
2 Phase 3 MBBS student, Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7640-2602
*3 Professor, Department of Physiology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9611-6555
Corresponding Author: Prof. (Dr.) Priscilla Johnson, Professor, Department of Physiology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. E-Mail: priscillajohnson@sriramachandra.edu.in
ABSTRACT:
Background: Teaching and learning of Anatomy is predominantly based on cadaveric dissection for three-dimensional understanding of structure of human body. Phase 1 MBBS students experience few difficulties during their first exposure to dissection. Formalin exposure causes irritant symptoms while few students experience apprehension. Negligent handling and close proximity lead to spread of infections in the dissection hall.
Methods: Using a validated instrument, an online cross-sectional survey was conducted on 445 Phase 1 medical students of 18-21 years of age. The survey evaluated physical symptoms, psychological impact, hygiene practices and awareness of risk of infection during or after cadaveric dissection.
Results: The most commonly experienced symptoms were lacrimation and eye soreness while skin problems were the least experienced. Physical and psychological symptoms showed an association with gender and diet, though not statistically significant. Despite moderate awareness and prior sensitization among Phase 1 students, there were lapses in hygiene practices, inadequate sanitization following dissection or injury or exposure. Most of the students preferred the learning experience with cadaveric dissection while few participants expressed fear, and discomfort. Male students wished to lessen their voluntary participation in dissection and preferred alternate learning modes.
Conclusion: Although students experience physical and psychological symptoms during their initial exposure to cadavers, they prefer dissection for learning Anatomy. Sensitisation and counselling the students might reduce the health impacts on exposure to cadaveric dissection. With hygiene protocols and sanitization measures in place, students might develop a positive attitude towards learning the fundamentals of Anatomy using cadaveric dissection.
Key words: Cadaveric Dissection, Medical Students, Medical Education, Anatomy Teaching, Cadavers, Embalming, Formalin, Hygiene Practices.
REFERENCES
[1]. Habicht JL, Kiessling C, Winkelmann A. Bodies for anatomy education in medical schools: an overview of the sources of cadavers worldwide. Academic Medicine. 2018 Sep 1;93(9):1293-300.
https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000002227
PMid:29561275 PMCid:PMC6112846
[2]. Dinsmore CE, Daugherty S, Zeitz HJ. Student responses to the gross anatomy laboratory in a medical curriculum. Clinical Anatomy. 2001;14(3):231-6.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.1038
PMid:11301472
[3]. Kundu S, Gangrade P. Study of the toxic effects of formaldehyde vapours within dissection hall on the first-year Indian medical students. Int J Anat Res. 2015;3(2):1179-90.
https://doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2015.195
[4]. Sinha N, Cs V, Singh S. Questionnaire based survey on creating awareness among I MBBS Students on practice of hygiene and risk of infections in dissection theatre. International Journal of Health and Clinical Research. 2021;4(9):242-5.
[5]. Getachew D. Reaction of medical students to experiences in dissection room. Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences. 2014 Nov 4;24(4):337-42.
https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v24i4.9
PMid:25489198 PMCid:PMC4248033
[6]. Abdel Meguid EM, Khalil MK. Measuring medical students’ motivation to learning anatomy by cadaveric dissection. Anat Sci Educ. 2017 Jul 1;10(4):363-71.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1669
PMid:27925681
[7]. Ghosh SK. Cadaveric dissection as an educational tool for anatomical sciences in the 21st century. Anat Sci Educ. 2017 May 1;10(3):286-99.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1649
PMid:27574911
[8]. Burton JL. Health and safety at necropsy. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2003 Apr 1;56(4):254-60.
https://doi.org/10.1136/jcp.56.4.254
PMid:12663635 PMCid:PMC1769932
[9]. Alt-Epping B, Lohse C, Viebahn C, Steinbüchel N Von, Benze G, Nauck F. On death and dying – An exploratory and evaluative study of a reflective, interdisciplinary course element in undergraduate anatomy teaching. BMC Med Educ. 2014 Jan 27;14(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-14-15
PMid:24467685 PMCid:PMC3914734
[10]. UG Curriculum | NMC https://www.nmc.org.in/information-desk/for-colleges/ug-curriculum/
[11]. Naz S, Nazir G, Iram S, Mohammad M, Umair, Qari IH, et al. Perceptions of cadaveric dissection in anatomy teaching. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad .2011;23(3):145-8.
[12]. Saha N, Chaudhuri S, Singh MM. Attitude of First Year Medical Students in Dissection Hall. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN [Internet]. 2015;14(5):74-8.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasi.2015.07.286
[13]. Collins S, White J, Ramsay M, Amirthalingam G. The importance of tetanus risk assessment during wound management. IDCases. 2015 Jan 1;2(1):3-5.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idcr.2014.11.003
PMid:26793439 PMCid:PMC4672608
[14]. Nikhil MA, Sabharwal RO, Singhal VI. Medical Students Embarking On Their Career With Cadaver Dissection. Eur J Mol&Clin Med. 2020;7(7):4748.
[15]. Dissabandara LO, Nirthanan SN, Khoo TK, Tedman R. Role of cadaveric dissections in modern medical curricula: A study on student perceptions. Anat Cell Biol. 2015;48(3):205-12.
https://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2015.48.3.205
PMid:26417481 PMCid:PMC4582164
[16]. Dosani F, Neuberger L. Anatomy and humanity: Examining the effects of a short documentary film and first anatomy laboratory experience on medical students. Anat Sci Educ. 2016 Jan 1;9(1):28-39.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1532
PMid:25919991
[17]. Qamar K, Osama M. Role of dissection in light of students’ perceptions. Anxiety. 2014;1(2):1.
[18]. Entwistle N, Tait H. Approaches to studying and perceptions of the learning environment across disciplines. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 1995;1995(64):93-103.
https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.37219956413
[19]. Akpan JP, Akpan JP, Andre T. Using a Computer Simulation Before Dissection to Help Students Learn Anatomy. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching. 2000;19(3):297-313.
[20]. Charlton R, Dovey SM, Jones DG, Blunt A. Effects of cadaver dissection on the attitudes of medical students. Med Educ. 1994;28(4):290-5.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.1994.tb02714.x
PMid:7861999
[21]. Abu‐Hijleh MF, Hamdi NA, Moqattash ST, Harris PF, Heseltine GF. Attitudes and reactions of Arab medical students to the dissecting room. Clinical Anatomy: The Official Journal of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists and the British Association of Clinical Anatomists. 1997;10(4):272-8.
https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2353(1997)10:4<272::AID-CA10>3.0.CO;2-H
[22]. Houwink AP, Kurup AN, Kollars JP, Kollars CAK, Carmichael SW, Pawlina W. Help of Third-Year Medical Students Decreases First-Year Medical Students’ Negative Psychological Reactions on the First Day of Gross Anatomy Dissection. Clinical Anatomy. 2004;17(4):328-33.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.10218
PMid:1510833
