Last year I spoke at a memorial for our anatomy cadavers and recently found the piece I wrote. Thought I would share it here. Stealing from yourself is ok for your own blog, right?
"Family and friends of the deceased it is my pleasure to
welcome you on behalf of the students and faculty of Wayne State University
School of Medicine.
As I thought of what I could possibly say on this day to
express my gratitude at the selflessness you and your loved ones have displayed
I must admit that I was stumped. I wondered what profound thing I could
possibly say that would let you know just how much your sacrifice has meant to
the future doctors who sit among you today. And then I realized that simple
honesty about my experience is the best thing I can share. Through this I hope
you will understand not only my personal gratitude but also the true
educational value your loved ones have brought to this community that can be
replaced by nothing else.
Starting medical school is equal parts exciting and
overwhelming. Everyone who has earned a spot in the class has worked very hard
to get there and is eager to begin learning all that is needed to succeed in
the medical field. Everyone also knows that the information we are required to
learn will be extensive and challenging. The first class medical students
encounter is Anatomy. The first day of lab we meet not only the classmates we
will be working with for the next few months, we also meet our cadaver.
If you could take a peek into an Anatomy lab on that first
day you would see a classroom full of students talking in quiet voices and
unsure of what to do. For we have come face to face with our first patient, a
person who in death has given the gift of their body that we might learn the
intricacies of the human form. It is a gift none are sure they have quite
earned but Anatomy has started and learn we must.
To protect the identity of our cadavers, students are not
given personal information beyond age and cause of death, and yet in my lab
group we never let ourselves forget that this person had a life and stories we
would never know the details of. Before beginning the task of vigorous
memorization of muscles and the like it seemed only right to give our cadaver a
name. She was an elderly woman with a sweet face. We called her Pricilla.
In the following months Pricilla remained a constant in our
lives. Some days I spent more time with her than with my husband. My classmates
and I went through the long process of learning the intricacies of the human
body. It wasn’t always easy but Pricilla and those like her remained our
greatest teachers. No disrespect to the amazing faculty at Wayne State of
course because many times we only found things when pointed out by their
skilled hands. With dedication and patience we learned muscles, organs, nerves
and blood vessels. We learned how truly amazing the human body is, how
different each person can be but also how alike we all are. From time to time I
would pause and wonder about the details of Pricilla’s life. I would wonder
about her hopes and dreams and it was in these moments I would remember that
she gave her body for me to learn and I would feel honored to be fulfilling
this last request.
So as we remember the deceased at this service be assured
that the students here today will be better doctors because of your loved ones
gift of self. It was a gift that has helped us build the foundation of our
basic medical knowledge but more importantly has taught us to continue to move
forward. To learn what is needed of us no matter how difficult the road is at
times. Because if someone who never met us could believe in our abilities
enough to give up their body we owe it to ourselves and them to be the best
doctors we can be.
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