The influence of systemic and regional anatomy on medical students' body donation willingness and the underlying factors.

Abstract

Cadaveric anatomy remains indispensable in medical education. However, the development of body donation in China faces challenges due to various socio-cultural constraints. Although medical students constitute only a minor proportion of body and organ donors, their attitudes toward donation may reflect their perceptions of silent mentors and cognition of organ donation to some extent. The findings may help clarify the effects of anatomical education and even the humanistic spirit conveyed by instructors, while also providing guidance for optimizing anatomy curricula to cultivate compassion and professionalism in future physicians alongside anatomical expertise. This research endeavors to explore the impact of anatomical education, specifically systemic and regional anatomy, on medical students' propensity to donate their bodies posthumously, as well as the motivations driving this inclination. A randomized survey was conducted among 289 clinical medicine students at Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences. The survey assessed students' willingness to donate their bodies and their association with anatomy learning experiences. Participation in systemic and regional anatomy education significantly increased students' willingness to donate their bodies. This enhancement was particularly pronounced among the group of students who received intensified "curriculum ideological and political" education (p ≤ 0.05). Notably, in contrast to observations among foreign medical students, Chinese students exhibited a sustained upward trend in donation willingness after anatomy learning. This divergence may be attributed to differences in religious beliefs and learning processes, as well as the incorporation of "Curriculum Ideology and Politics" within Chinese medical curriculum. This study suggests that reinforcing cadaveric anatomy experiences and addressing cultural and educational factors can promote body donation. By understanding the motivations and influences that shape students' donation decisions, medical educators and policymakers can develop targeted interventions to increase donation rates and ensure the availability of cadavers for medical education and research.