The problem in medical schools is growing! They will have to import

The quality of education is declining due to the difficulty in obtaining cadavers, which are the primary educational material for anatomy, one of the most important courses in medical schools. Cadavers are of great importance for students to gain manual skills and practice on human bodies.

Due to the low number of body donations in our country, even universities in major cities have fewer cadavers than can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Experts, noting that most medical students graduate without ever seeing a cadaver, say that when they cannot be found, they are forced to import them.

Prof. Dr. Servet Çelik from Ege University (EÜ) Faculty of Medicine stated that when cadavers are not available, they are forced to import them, saying, "We have to pay significant costs for imported cadavers."

THE CADAVER PROBLEM IS GROWING

Prof. Dr. Servet Çelik, a faculty member at the Ege University (EÜ) Faculty of Medicine Department of Anatomy and Deputy Director of the EÜ Interventional Anatomy Plastination Application and Research Center, emphasized that 20 years ago they could work on a single cadaver, stating, "After 2010, donations began to increase slightly. While we used to receive one cadaver every 3-4 years, it started to rise to 1-2 per year. In recent years, we have reached a slightly better situation regarding donations."

40 CADAVERS ARE NEEDED FOR 400 STUDENTS

In universities in major cities like Izmir, the number of donations can reach 5-6 per year. Donations have started to increase, but they are still not at a sufficient level. To reach Western standards, the 400 first-year students at the EÜ Faculty of Medicine alone need to work with 40 cadavers per year," he said.

"A PHYSICIAN'S FIRST PATIENT SHOULD BE A CADAVER"

Stating that they want medical students to practice on bodies and gain manual dexterity, Prof. Dr. Çelik said, "When body donation is lacking, education turns into a museum format where anatomy professors prepare cadavers, organs, muscles, and structures in advance to show the students, rather than the student gaining hands-on dexterity. At the very least, seeing realistic tissue and encountering the body of a deceased person also psychologically prepares them for the medical profession. A physician's first patient should be a cadaver."

"PHYSICIANS GRADUATE WITHOUT GAINING SKILLS"

Stating that the number of students working one-on-one with cadavers in Turkey is low, Prof. Dr. Çelik said, "In a year, only about 15-20 students have the chance to examine specific regions. Today, let alone working on a cadaver, there are many healthcare professionals who graduate without ever seeing one. Most faculties have only one or two cadavers just to say they have them. Physicians graduate without gaining skills. Even most anatomy assistants and specialists do not have the chance to work on a cadaver."

"PURCHASES ARE MADE SO THAT STUDENTS CAN AT LEAST SEE A CADAVER"

Explaining that an increase in body donations would improve the manual dexterity and structural knowledge of physicians, Prof. Dr. Çelik said, "Furthermore, research conducted on cadavers provides opportunities for the development of medical devices and new surgical techniques. Therefore, it contributes to our country in the form of higher quality healthcare services."

"WE ARE FORCED TO PAY SERIOUS COSTS"

Emphasizing that they are forced to import cadavers when they cannot be found, Prof. Dr. Çelik said, "We are forced to pay serious costs for imported cadavers. This is our country's money. It is also not possible to import enough to meet the need. To be honest, we do not find it right to put a price on a body, but we have many faculties and students. Due to the necessity, the ministry had to resort to this path. Purchases are being made by universities so that students can at least see a cadaver."

'CADAVER IS THE BEST EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL'

Prof. Dr. Okan Bilge, a faculty member at the Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Anatomy and Director of the Interventional Anatomy Plastination Application and Research Center, pointed out that a cadaver is the best educational material for conveying real tissue and structure to students, stating, "We try to meet the need for cadavers primarily through donations and then through unclaimed bodies. European standards dictate that a maximum of 10 students should work on one cadaver, with these students learning anatomy by performing dissections themselves. However, with a student population of over 400, it is impossible for us to achieve this." Prof. Dr. Bilge, who stated that it is much more reliable and ethical for residents specializing in surgical branches to learn surgical techniques on cadavers rather than on patients, noted that there is a great need for cadavers in this regard as well.

'DONATED CADAVERS ARE USED FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS'

Emphasizing that increased public awareness regarding cadaver donation has led to positive feedback, Prof. Dr. Bilge stated that people want to know what will happen in the future when they donate their bodies. Prof. Dr. Bilge continued: "For donated cadavers, we request a 5-year period from the families. This is because the body needs to remain in a chemical solution for approximately 6 months to be properly preserved and to prevent decomposition. It can only be used after 6 months. We need time to be able to use the body for 3-4 years. Afterward, we return it to the donor's family, who then ensure it is buried. Some families make an indefinite donation and do not request the body back. Additionally, we have unclaimed bodies. Since there is no time limit for unclaimed bodies, we try to store them under the best conditions and continue to use them as much as possible. We can use them for 10-20 years. Afterward, they are handed over to the municipality to be buried."