VCOM-Louisiana's Class of 2027 held a Donor Memorial Ceremony to honor their anatomy donors on Sept. 30, 2024. An Anatomy Donor Symposium preceded the ceremony. Students presented posters on their first patient—their anatomy donor—summarizing the invaluable lessons each group learned while working with their donor cadaver during the past year’s anatomy curriculum. After the symposium, awards were presented for best poster and outstanding dissection before the Donor Memorial Ceremony.
Once students complete the anatomy portion of their second-year curriculum, it is customary to hold a memorial service for their donors. The donors’ families receive a letter from the students expressing their gratitude.
During the program, students gave remarks to commemorate all 31 donors and the VCOM-Louisiana SOAP Notes a cappella group performed. The Class of 2027’s Jedidiah Lim wrote a poem titled “The Wings of Your Story” in honor of how patients guide and impact the medical student journey. In the poem, Lim writes, “You are like a guide to my journey, An inspiration that comforts me, especially in times when I have to remind myself why I am here. But this one thing I’ll never forget that your teachings have brought forth new life.”
Another classmate and artist, Megan Mize, presented a work called “Heart in Our Hands,” a crocheted artistic interpretation of an anatomical heart. Megan also presented crocheted gifts to each anatomy instructor that highlighted their area of expertise, such as a brain, a stomach, and a femur, among others. Megan shared, “The anatomy lab in particular was one of the best experiences that I had at VCOM, and it made me truly happy to be able to contribute to the ceremony in a small way.”
These students shared their time and talents to pay tribute to the donors’ ultimate gift of their bodies and to their instructors who have taught them to understand the intricacies of anatomy.
In addition to the great value of hands-on learning of anatomy, students are able to utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills that require they apply textbook knowledge to a diverse human population like what they will see among their future patients. Engaging with donors instills respect for the human body and ethical responsibility for our student doctors. The donor serves as the first patient and an irreplaceable teacher that will impact every patient our students will treat in their career.
Ceremony committee member Caroline Drell, Class of 2027, expressed, “Thank you does not begin to cover the appreciation I have for the extraordinary opportunity given to me by our patients and their family members this past year. That is why being a part of planning our donor memorial ceremony has been incredibly meaningful—to physically show our sincere gratitude through artwork, singing and fellowship. It is also very important to me that the incoming class attended this ceremony to understand the privilege their future donors are giving them before they begin their time in the lab.”
The Donor Memorial Ceremony serves as a powerful reminder of the selflessness and humanity at the core of medical education. Through the generosity of these donors and the dedication of VCOM-Louisiana's students, future physicians are not only learning the intricacies of anatomy, but also the profound responsibility that comes with patient care. This annual event is more than just a tribute—it is a celebration of life, learning and the indelible connection between those who give and those who receive the ultimate gift of knowledge.
