School holds annual Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration
On Thursday, 20 April, 2023, the School of Medicine held its Annual Memorial Service in honour of those who have donated their bodies to the University. The service, attended by staff, students, and donors’ relatives and friends, recognises donors’ invaluable contribution to medical education.
Donated bodies provide students and health professionals with an essential training experience that cannot be achieved through textbooks or simulations alone. This is a crucial aspect of their education, as thorough anatomical knowledge is key to the provision of safe and competent care. Moreover, the innovation of new and improved treatments is also dependent on physicians’ thorough understanding of the body’s structures. As such, through the gift of their bodies, donors not only improve students’ learning experiences, but also have a lasting impacting on the future of healthcare.
Donors also play a central role in ensuring accurate interpretation of medical images. By allowing clinicians to build a strong foundational knowledge of anatomy, donors ensure advanced imaging technology can be harnessed effectively for diagnosis and treatment.
This year, Assistant Chaplain Bill Shackman’s sermon gave thanks for the donors’ act of immense selflessness, while students reflected on the transformative impact this gift has had on their learning. The service was a privilege to attend and a poignant acknowledgement of our donors’ profound generosity.