Perceptions of cadavers in physiotheraphy students and approaches to use of cadavers for anatomy education

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to determine how physiotheraphy students percieve cadavers and what kind of approach they have adopted for use cadavers and how cadavers education have changed their feelings and emotions in anatomy education.

Methods: Data form that consist twelve expression was used for determing of students’ perception about cadavers. Fifty students (100 forms) were participated in research. In the data form prepared, 12 questions were included in order to determine the approach of the students, while an expression question was included to determine the emotional question at the first encounter with the cadaver.

Results: Most of participants have adopted expression before the cadaver education was “Dead human bodies shown in public areas without educational purposes affect cadaver donation adversely.” (4.52±0.79). While they have adopted after the cadavers education was “Human is valuable asset. Therefore, while person was both alive or after death, value and respect must be given to the human body.” (4.60±0.93). When the quastionaire data (before and after) were compared, statistically significant differences were found in expression of “Dead human bodies shown in public areas without educational purposes affect cadaver donation adversely” (p=0.037) and “3D modeling or working on the human models is more useful than studying on cadavers in anatomy education” (p=0.005). It was observed that the number of participations was decreased for the first expression and in contrast with increased for the second expression.

Conclusion: Physiotheraphy students regard to cadavers for in terms of human aspect and value and attribute to him/her aspecial value in terms of contribute to education. Students who were studying on cadavers in anatomy education tend to see cadaver as an education a material. We thought that these results could be help to shape and improve the anatomy education.