“My Dead Body”: Development, production, and reception of a documentary that publicly displays the dissection of a human donor

“My Dead Body”: Development, production, and reception of a documentary that publicly displays the dissection of a human donor

Recently, there has been an emphasis on keeping the study of anatomy using donor material confined to the domain of medical and allied healthcare professionals. Given the abundance of both accurate and inaccurate information online, coupled with a heightened focus on health following the COVID‐19 pa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anatomical sciences education Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 749 - 762
Main Authors: Smith, Claire F., Stone, Danya, Munro, Ross, Jayanth, Aiden, Hennessy, Catherine M., O'Brien, Dominic, Ingram, Camilla, Ail, Geetika, Koenig, Michael, Arnold, Laura, Bemment, Matthew, Johnston, Malcolm
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-06-2024
Subjects:
Anatomy
Anatomy & physiology
body donation
Cadavers
Dissection
Documentary films
donation to science
Donors
Educational Benefits
gross anatomy education
Human body
Mass Media
medical education
medical students
public display
public dissection
Social Media
Social networks
donation to science
body donation
medical education
public dissection
medical students
gross anatomy education
public display
dissection
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Summary:Recently, there has been an emphasis on keeping the study of anatomy using donor material confined to the domain of medical and allied healthcare professionals. Given the abundance of both accurate and inaccurate information online, coupled with a heightened focus on health following the COVID‐19 pandemic, one may question whether it is time to review who can access learning anatomy using donors. In 2019, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) obtained a Human Tissue Authority Public Display license with the aim of broadening the reach of who could be taught using donor material. In 2020, BSMS received its first full‐body donor with consent for public display. Twelve workshops were delivered to student groups who do not normally have the opportunity to learn in the anatomy laboratory. Survey responses (10.9% response rate) highlighted that despite being anxious about seeing inside a deceased body, 95% felt more informed about the body. A documentary “My Dead Body” was filmed, focusing on the rare cancer of the donor Toni Crews. Viewing figures of 1.5 million, and a considerable number of social media comments highlighted the public's interest in the documentary. Thematic analysis of digital and social media content highlighted admiration and gratitude for Toni, the value of education, and that while the documentary was uncomfortable to watch, it had value in reminding viewers of life, their bodies, and their purpose. Fully consented public display can create opportunities to promote health‐conscious life choices and improve understanding of the human body.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1935-9772
1935-9780
DOI:10.1002/ase.2412