Officials in Turkey have pressed the button to import cadavers due to the inability to find them domestically.

Due to the low number of body donations in Turkey, medical students are unable to gain practical skills on cadavers, which are the most important educational materials. Experts state that the first patient of a physician candidate should be a cadaver. Prof. Dr. Servet Çelik from Ege University (EÜ) Faculty of Medicine expressed that when cadavers are not available, they have to import them, saying, "We have to pay serious amounts for imported cadavers."

The quality of education is declining due to the supply problem of cadavers, which are the main educational material for one of the most important courses in medical faculties, anatomy. It is crucial for students to gain practical skills and perform applications on cadavers. Due to the low number of body donations in our country, even in universities in metropolitan areas, there are only a handful of cadavers available. Experts point out that most medical students graduate without ever seeing a cadaver, and they say that when cadavers are not available, they have to import them.

40 CADAVERS ARE NEEDED FOR 400 STUDENTS

Prof. Dr. Servet Çelik, a faculty member of the Anatomy Department at Ege University (EÜ) Faculty of Medicine and Deputy Director of the EÜ Interventional Anatomy Plastination Application Research Center, emphasized that they could work on one cadaver 20 years ago, stating, "After 2010, small donations started to increase. While one cadaver would come every 3-4 years, it began to rise to 1-2 per year. In recent years, we have improved a bit in terms of donations. In universities in metropolitan areas like İzmir, the number of donations can be 5-6 per year. Donations have started to increase, but it is still not at a sufficient level. To reach the standards in the West, 400 first-year students at EÜ Faculty of Medicine need to work with 40 cadavers each year," he said.

"THE FIRST PATIENT OF A PHYSICIAN SHOULD BE A CADAVER"

Prof. Dr. Çelik expressed that they want medical students to perform applications on bodies and gain practical skills, stating, "When there is a lack of body donations, education turns into a format where cadavers, organs, muscles, and structures are prepared by anatomy instructors in advance and shown to students, rather than students gaining hands-on skills. At least, seeing a realistic tissue prepares them psychologically for medicine when they encounter the body of a deceased person. The first patient of a physician should be a cadaver," he said.

Prof. Dr. Çelik stated that the number of students working with cadavers in Turkey is low, saying, "In a year, about 15-20 students have the chance to examine certain areas. Nowadays, there are many healthcare professionals who graduate without ever seeing a cadaver, let alone working on one. In most faculties, there is only one or two cadavers just to say they have them. Physicians graduate without gaining skills. Most anatomy assistants and specialists also do not have the opportunity to work on cadavers," he stated.

"PURCHASES ARE MADE SO STUDENTS CAN AT LEAST SEE A CADAVER"

Prof. Dr. Çelik stated that increasing body donations will enhance physicians' practical skills and knowledge of structures, saying, "Additionally, research conducted on cadavers provides opportunities for the development of medical devices and new surgical techniques. Therefore, it contributes to our country as a higher quality healthcare service," he said.

"WE PAY SERIOUS AMOUNTS FOR CADAVERS"

Prof. Dr. Çelik emphasized that they have to import cadavers when they are not available, stating, "We have to pay serious amounts for imported cadavers. This is the money of our country. It is not possible to import enough to meet the needs. The truth is, we do not find it right to put a price on a body, but we have many faculties and students. Due to the need, the ministry had to take this path. Purchases are made in universities so that students can at least see a cadaver," he said.

"CADAVERS ARE THE BEST EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL"

Prof. Dr. Okan Bilge, a faculty member of the Anatomy Department at EÜ Faculty of Medicine and Director of the Interventional Anatomy Plastination Application Research Center, pointed out that cadavers are the best educational material for conveying real tissue and structure to students, stating, "We try to meet cadavers primarily through donations and then through unclaimed corpses. According to European standards, a maximum of 10 students can work on one cadaver, and these students should learn anatomy by performing dissections themselves. However, with a student population of over 400, it is not possible for us to achieve this," he said. Prof. Dr. Bilge stated that it is much more reliable and ethical for surgical trainees to learn surgical techniques on cadavers rather than on patients, emphasizing the significant need for cadavers in this regard.

"DONATED CADAVERS ARE USED FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS"

Prof. Dr. Bilge emphasized that raising awareness in society about body donation has positively increased the return on donations, stating that people want to know what will happen in the future when they donate their bodies. Prof. Dr. Bilge continued, "We ask families for a duration of 5 years for donated cadavers. This is because the body needs to be preserved properly and to prevent deterioration, it needs to remain in a preserved state for about 6 months. However, it can be used after 6 months. We need time to use the body for 3-4 years. Afterwards, we return it to the donor families. They then arrange for burial. Some families make indefinite donations and do not want the body back. Additionally, we have unclaimed corpses. In the case of unclaimed corpses, there is no time limit, so we try to preserve them in the best conditions and continue to use them as much as possible. We can use them for 10-20 years. Afterwards, they are handed over to the municipality for burial."