Is Cadaver Dissection Still Necessary in Surgical Education?

A new Resources in Surgical Education (RISE) article is available. Authors Roy Phitayakorn, MD, MHPE, FACS, Dana Stearns, MD, and Esther Kim, MD, ask, “Is Cadaver Dissection Still Necessary in Surgical Education?”

This article aims to articulate the challenges of cadaver labs in current anatomy education for trainees, consider the advantages of cadaver labs in anatomy education, explore alternative methods for teaching anatomy, and discuss future roles and directions for cadaver labs.

The authors conclude that “while whole cadaver dissection may never return as the primary modality for surgical education, cadaver dissection remains an essential component of surgical education for learners at all levels.”

Read this article, and review past RISE articles.