20 | JADE
ROSALYN A JURJUS ET AL.
Some authors have considered that important cultural differences
such as traditions, society, even age of entry into medical school
may account for the various reactions to the dissection experience
(Evans and Fitzgibbon, 1992; McEvoy et al., 2014). On the other
hand, a study conducted in a South West Nigerian Medical school
showed that the great majority of students agreed that cadaver
dissection was accepted culturally (91.7%) and religiously (86.69%).
The majority of those students belonged to the same ethnic groups
and approximately 73% were Christians and 25% were Muslims
(Oyeyipo and Falana, 2012). In 2009, a study conducted by Mitchell
among medical students in British and Chinese medical schools
assessed the cultural influences on learning anatomy. Data showed
that student learning was driven by assessment in both groups,
though British students seemed to enjoy studying anatomy more
than their Chinese counterparts. He concluded that the ‘cultures
of learning’ influence students’ approaches and highlight the
differences in perceptions among learners (Mitchell et al., 2009).
Another longitudinal study from the University of Gondar in Ethiopia
analyzed students’ attitudes towards human cadaveric dissection
both before and after exposure to dissection. It showed that for
the majority, fear and nausea had decreased, while excitement had
increased. The report concluded that anatomical dissection by itself
was not considered as a stressor (Mulu and Tegabu, 2012). So far,
there is uncertainty in understanding how cultural or religious views
are related to dissection experience (Plaisant et al., 2011). Despite
such research, the cultural identity of medical students as it relates
to their emotional responses to the dissection room needs further
investigation.
The purpose of the present study is to examine the emotional impact
of cadaver dissection across cultures and whether or not cultural
views impact the learner’s dissection experience. We hypothesize
that by integrating their own cultural beliefs into this professional
experience in the dissection laboratory, medical students will
show a better coping mechanism. It is our hope that the findings
will be useful to better prepare students for the dissecting room
experience.
Materials and Methods
Ethical Approval:
This project was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB)
as an exempt study (IRB # 081246) and participation was voluntary
for consenting students.