COVID Protocol: As of May 5th, 2024: Donors must be free of COVID-19 for 5 days, prior to their passing, to be considered for anatomical donation for our program.
Duke University School of Medicine’s Gross Anatomy Laboratory supports the education and training of more than 200 students each year. In addition to medical students, residents, and surgeons, the laboratory provides essential learning experiences for students in the Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Pathology Assistant, and Biomedical Engineering programs.
Through their study with the program’s “silent teachers,” students gain more than an understanding of human anatomy. They come to appreciate that each body is unique and that the experiences of a lifetime are reflected in its form.
The Gross Anatomy Laboratory serves as a foundational setting for developing the knowledge, skill, and empathy that define the practice of medicine. Those who donate their bodies to the Anatomical Gifts Program make an invaluable contribution to medical education and to the advancement of future health care professionals.
“Lastly, I want to share a small glimpse into just how powerful that impact truly is. On average, a single Physician Assistant will see 70 patients per week, over 3,500 patients each year, and approximately 125,000 patients over the course of a career. In our first-year anatomy lab, each donor worked with a group of four to five students. That means each donor has provided a transformative educational experience that has the potential to touch the lives of over 1 million patients worldwide.
That is the power of this gift. That is the legacy your loved ones leave behind.”
- Dani Panning, PA-S
For more student and faculty reflections, see "Letters of Appreciation."