134 - Recognizing Our Mentors: Educational and Humanistic Impacts of Non-anonymization of Body Donors in Anatomy Education

Poster Board Number: 134
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Odd poster #s – first hour
Even poster #s – second hour

Co-authors:

Eduardo Muscogliati - Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School; Kat Sanders - Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School; Lauren Clunie - Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School; Paul McKeegan - Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School

Abstract Body : Background: Healthcare education has been on a constant state of adaptation, with current efforts focusing on developing humanism and empathy. Thus, educational institutions have attempted to implement several interventions to curriculum design, including donor non-anonymization.

Objectives: Given the increased focus on humanistic virtues in medical education, this study aims to analyse the current evidence in the literature surrounding donor non-anonymization in anatomy education, focusing specifically on the humanistic and educational impacts of this new paradigm.

Method: A systematic review of the current published literature on donor non-anonymization was conducted. The search strategy was applied to relevant databases, yielding 2194 papers after the removal of duplicates. After a two-stage screening process against set criteria with a second, independent screener, ten papers were included in the study. These were assessed for quality using the MERSQI and CASP Qualitative Checklist tools, and then analysed using thematic analysis.

Result: Eight were rated as high quality, one was deemed as medium quality, and another low quality. They were subsequently weighted accordingly during analysis. Three themes were devised: Student’s emotional response, exploring the diverse emotional reactions students displayed from knowing donor information; professional development, exploring how this paradigm affects professionalism; and impact of non-anonymization on student learning, referencing relevant educational theories to highlight how this intervention can aid student learning.

Conclusion: From the studies included, non-anonymization in anatomy seems to lead to positive outcomes in the humanistic and educational development of students. However, further research is needed to support this interpretation.

Significance: While this approach to learning from human body donors has been theorised to provide students with humanistic and educational benefits, this systematic review highlights a significant gap in the evidence surrounding donor non-anonymization, highlighting the need for empirical data and analysis of long-term outcomes.