One of the most famous rites of passage for medical school is the anatomy lab. The passage begins within the first month of medical school and concludes with a ceremony, honoring the donors who make this critical step in medical education possible.
“This ceremony represents a unique intersection between death and medicine, and the study of anatomy serves as a constant reminder that they are forever intertwined. Without the former, there would be no need for the latter,” Kaden Rawson, second year medical student said in his opening remarks at the most recent ceremony.
The ceremony is a tradition at Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Each class holds a donor memorial service at the conclusion of their anatomy course to show appreciation and honor the cadavers they have learned from during their time in the lab. The Class of 2025’s ceremony, held October 21, was marked with celebration, gratitude, and mourning.
“We treat the event as a memorial service and as a funeral,” said Vish Vijayakumar, second year medical student and lead organizer of the 2022 ceremony. “It serves as a format for students to honor the experiences, interactions, and relationship they had with their donor. It provides them an opportunity to pay their respects one last time before we move on with our medical training.”
The mix of emotions was heard through the speeches delivered by both students and faculty who echoed sentiments of the complexities that come with these opportunities.
“As we celebrate the experiences and memories born in the anatomy lab under the direction of Dr. Swigart, Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Shackelford, we must not forget the sorrowful events that
transpired and ultimately facilitated this high caliber of learning,” Rawson said.
CI MED students take an active role in preparing the memorial service organizing most of the event themselves. This allows each class an opportunity to craft their own distinct way of honoring their donors each year.
The Class of 2025 ceremony included two musical performances from Ben Lee on the cello and Shreya Rangarajan on the violin. Laura Shackelford, associate professor of biomedical and translational sciences and health innovative professor, also gave remarks on behalf of the anatomy faculty. Second-year medical student Claire Landewee shared remarks on the symbolic importance of the flower arrangement created for the event.
The ceremony wrapped up with closing remarks from class of 2025 representatives Sabrina Mann and Chris Rouillard, followed by a moment of silence and a candle lighting.
"To the families who donated these venerated cadavers, we express our deepest apologies for your loss. We mourn with you today. However, we would be remiss if we did not extend our heartfelt gratitude. Our interaction with your beloved deceased adds to the eternal flames of their undying memory--as we continue our training, we will carry them with us in our hearts."