Is it appropriate to speak of death during a dissection course?

Abstract

Little attention, at least in Finland, has been paid to possible emotional problems caused by the medical curriculum. Courses in human dissection are suspected to leave their mark on the subsequent physician‐patient relationships, particularly in relating to dying patients. At the University of Tampere, courses on the dissection of cadavers have for the past 6 years been preceded by a few 3‐hr preparatory lectures dealing with dissection and death and psychic reaction to them. In order to learn students’ responses to lectures, they were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Students reported that these lectures have helped them in encountering an unwanted situation. Awareness of their emotional state may also have improved learning results in that energy need not be dissipated in the effort to overcome emotions. Students describe the dissection course as leading to a better understanding of themselves and of the diversity of emotional reactions of their fellow students. An anticipated long‐term effect of the lectures might be a better future relationship of the doctor with patients. We conclude that lectures dealing with dying and death during dissection courses are not only appropriate, but demanded and necessary for medical students.