Overview of the Anatomical Gift Program
This
imposing black granite monument is situated in Rockafield
Cemetery. The inscription reads: "In
gratitude... To those who gave unselfishly of themselves
that others might learn." |
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History of the program
In 1975, even before the medical school opened its doors to students,
the Donated Body Program was organized. The first person to register
in the program was a physician who was also the founding chair of the
Department of Anatomy. In 1994, the name of the program was changed to
the Anatomical Gift Program to better reflect the generosity of the donors;
the number of registered donors has increased to more than 17,000 caring
people from all walks of life.
Since the anatomical disciplines of gross anatomy, microscopic anatomy,
developmental anatomy and neuroanatomy provide the foundation for all
of the medical sciences, the timeless gifts provided by the donors enrolled
in this program serve medical education and research at all levels, beginning
with young medical students, extending to resident physicians and finally
providing additional insight to experienced physicians and professors.
Our donors, indeed, serve that others might learn.
As the Anatomical Gift Program has matured, new elements have been added to it. Since 1980, donors have been honored annually in a memorial service to which family members and friends are invited. The service has historically been constructed around the Judeo-Christian tradition and is enhanced by regional and national clergy who encompass both gender and ethnic diversity. When donors of other religious traditions enrich the program, their traditions are also incorporated into the memorial service.
 Purpose of the program
Providing an excellent, high quality medical education requires support at many levels. Those who practice medicine recognize that a strong foundation in the anatomical sciences is fundamental to their practices. Surgery, internal medicine, family practice and all medical specialties depend on a knowledge and understanding of physiology, microbiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. In fact, these last four disciplines are sometimes recognized as the pillars upon which medical science is built. But the foundation for all of these pillars and for medicine, in general, is anatomy.
Without the generosity of donors to the Anatomical Gift Program, the Boonshoft School of Medicine could not provide the foundation upon which medical careers are built. We could not provide the structural basis for understanding disease. Because diseases and dysfunctions all have structural or anatomic components, it is imperative that medical students as well as graduate physicians in all arenas be trained in the discipline of anatomy. This is the inestimable value of the Anatomical Gift Program and remarkable legacy of those who contribute to it.
 About the donors
The hallmark of donors to the Anatomical Gift Program is that they were “givers” throughout their lives. These are the people who were always concerned about the well being of others. It is safe to say that the primary motivation for people to become part of this program is one of altruism. Almost to a person, they are concerned that others have the opportunity to learn, either through medical education or medical research.
Diversity is emblematic of this program. Clearly, no single ethnic, cultural, socio-economic or educational group comprises our registry of donors. African-Americans, Caucasian Americans, western Europeans, Hispanics and Asians are representative of our registrants. Additionally, we count among our donors people of diverse religious backgrounds, those from the lowest as well as the highest socioeconomic groups, and those with no formal education to those with multiple doctoral degrees. Men and women are represented in approximately equal numbers. An abbreviated inventory of donors includes machinists and military officers, automotive workers and nurses, secretaries and university professors, entrepreneurs and housewives, physicians and truck drivers.
 Benefits of the program
The benefits are far-reaching and impact on each of us. Medical and nursing students are accorded the opportunity to learn normal as well as some pathologic anatomy from the gifts they receive. Residents and attending physicians are able to review anatomy, practice old procedures and learn new ones. To list but a few projects, medical researchers are able to study pressures within the eye, cervical spine injuries, laser and robotic surgery procedures and magnetic resonance imaging techniques. Experienced professors and physicians are enabled to expand their knowledge bases and become more competent teachers and practitioners. Paramedics and emergency medical technicians are able to develop their lifesaving skills through these gifts. Since medical personnel impact the lives of all of us, each of us is the recipient of benefits from the generosity of the donors to the Anatomical Gift Program.
Because each of our donors has a deep commitment to his or her ideal of providing service to others, the most significant gift the donor receives is the knowledge that, even in death, he or she will enable the learning of others, facilitate the art of healing and perpetuate the accumulation of medical knowledge. Of a more pragmatic nature, the Anatomical Gift Program and the Boonshoft School of Medicine attend to many of the details that must be addressed following a death. In addition, an ecumenical memorial service and a serene, well-landscaped interment site graced with a beautiful, black granite monument are offered to our donors and their survivors.
 Reflections of and about the donors
“His was one of those unseen silent acts of service for which one receives
no public fanfare.”
“She’s the kind of person who sees the value in
using what she has for the benefit of others and giving of herself
to accomplish that end.”
“I believe his ultimate desire was to allow
the future physician to explore the private workings of the human
body so that he or she may go out into the community and make a
difference inpeoples’ lives.”
“If I am ever able to make a difference in the lives
of others in my career as a physician, I will owe it in part
to him.”
“Through their service, their sacrifice, I learn to serve
and sacrifice. This is the cycle of renewal, giving back life from
death.”
“The grandma that every kid dreams of.”
“I pray that I will have the wisdom, strength and courage
to serve my patients in a way that will truly honor the memory
of one of my greatest teachers.”
“He made us more caring and compassionate because he
cared enough to be a donor.”
“If it helped one person, it was worth it!”
“They understood that part of our essence, our humanity,
is only fully realized in community and in participation in the
lives of others.”
“It is our hope that the gift of our youngest family member
may help others understand the events of pregnancy.”
“They gave when they did not have to give and they will not witness
a return on their investment. They gave because they wanted to give.” | 