Students, staff and faculty of PCOM South Georgia recently held a memorial service for people who had donated their bodies to science after their passing.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — “Being on campus and learning from the oldest teacher — the human body — helped bring a sense of normalcy to our first year of school,” student doctor Katrina Hall told an assembly at PCOM South Georgia

Hall (DO ’24) was one of many who spoke to the impact that donors and their families had made in her medical education at a recent body donor memorial service held at the medical college. Students, staff and faculty honored the families and loved ones who donated their bodies to science during an intimate ceremony. 

Hall continued, “Through the sacrifice of your family members and loved ones, we were able to see firsthand how the systems of the body work together and the systemic impact when something in the body does not function correctly. Their lives have had countless impacts. The donation of their bodies to science has brought healing to our class and will contribute to the healing of many others.” 

First-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine students and biomedical sciences graduate students spend their first academic year at PCOM South Georgia learning firsthand the intricacies of the human body in the anatomy lab, PCOM South Georgia said in a press release. It is through the generosity of anatomical donors that hands-on training is possible.

Shiv Dhiman, MD, associate professor of anatomy, worked with the students during the academic year, spending many hours in the anatomy lab together with the donors. 

“On this special day,” Dhiman said, “we gather to honor and remember the generous and selfless gift your loved ones have given to PCOM. It is due to their generosity that our medical students have the opportunity to learn about the anatomical body as they move forward on their journey as physicians.”

John Abdool (DO ‘24), class chair, said, “The body is foremost in our understanding as future physicians. Without our donors’ generous gift to PCOM South Georgia, we would not even be the same future physicians standing here today. While we have all gone through many hardships over the past year, I cannot begin to understand the continued generosity and selflessness behind our donors and their families for this gracious gift in medicine.”

To learn more about the body donor program, visit https://www.pcom.edu/south-georgia/body-donor-program/.