The perception of stress associated with cadaveric dissection

The relationship between cadaveric dissection in an anatomy dissecting room and stress was examined by survey among graduate‐entry medical students attending a first year anatomy dissection course. Analysis of responses from students to a Likert‐type questionnaire inquiring about levels of stress in relation to close contact to cadaveric material, the act of dissecting, and the dissecting room environment showed that 48.6%, 52.7% and 67.5% of all respondents reported no stress from contact with cadavers, the act of dissecting or the dissecting room environment respectively. Female respondents reported higher tolerance to cadaveric contact and to dissecting when compared to responses from male students. On the other hand, male students showed higher tolerance to the dissecting room environment than female students. The greatest number of female respondents who reported the absence of stress was seen in the 22–25 year old age group (66.6–75%, across all 3 stressors investigated). In the corresponding age group, the proportion of male students amongst whom there was no reported stress to cadaveric contact and dissecting was lower at 33.3–37.5%. The data from this study suggests that female students show reduced incidence of stress associated with aspects of anatomical dissection and the dissecting room when compared to male students.