ABSTRACT
Background: The trend of dissection training is at the verge of extinction all around the world. With literal mushrooming of private medical colleges, supporting varied degree of medical facilities. There is increasing debate regarding the significance of cadavers in the teaching of gross anatomy. A study was conducted among graduate and postgraduate doctors in order to understand the importance of cadaveric dissection
Objective: To understand the importance of cadaveric dissection and determine the level of supportive rendered by cadaveric dissection at an undergraduate level for choosing the surgical field careers. To assess whether the stress and depression caused by cadaveric dissection at first exposure fades out with further exposures or lingers on
Methods: A cross-sectional multicentre study conducted in Karachi at various hospitals and medical colleges from November 2013 till February 2014. Graduate and postgraduate doctors from basic sciences and clinical sciences involved in teaching as professors and assistant professors were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was administered after taking verbal consent from the participants. The data was tabulated and analyzed using the computer program SPSS Version 15.0 for the production of descriptive statistics
Results: Out of 124 graduate and postgraduate doctors, 51.6% [64] were male, 48.4% [60] were female. The first visit experiences to dissection hall was documented through questionnaire, which was exiting for 71.8% [89], and 38.7% [48] got depressed. Cadaver dissection [CD] was avoided by 25% [31], out of which 18.5% [23] had allergy to formaldehyde, and 12.1% [15] had scared of the dead bodies. In 49.2% [61] helped in developing their professional endeavors, 54% [68] got inclined towards anatomy by CD, 71.8% [89] had clear concepts of gross anatomy. Understanding of in depth knowledge of structural details was found in 58.1% [72], regional anatomical concepts were cleared in 71.8% [89] of doctors
Conclusion: Cadaveric dissection is a good tool in learning the concepts of gross anatomy. It helped doctors to evaluate their interest and trends towards surgical fields, and also build up concepts which were utilized in their professional life