“It raises questions about justice and fairness, because now the burden of providing medical education is falling disproportionately on vulnerable and marginalized members of society,” said  Matthew DeCamp, MD, PhD.  “Anatomy lab is often one of the most profound and important experiences a student can have, not just because of learning anatomy but also because of learning some of the fundamental values of the medical profession and respecting human dignity,”

Just how many unclaimed bodies are used in medical education is difficult to pinpoint.
DeCamp co-authored a 2019 study that surveyed 146 U.S. medical schools on the use of unclaimed bodies, of which only 89 responded. Eleven schools reported possible use of unclaimed bodies, although programs differed on whether they believed students should be informed of unclaimed body use.  Read article>>