The Use of Autopsy as a Teaching Tool in Medicine

The investigation of death has its earliest records dating back three thousand years to Ancient Greece and gained more academic character during the Renaissance when painting served as a means of record, enabling the teaching and dissemination of knowledge produced by pathological anatomy [1][2][3].However, the constant conflict with religious beliefs hindered significant advances in medical sciences, as ethical questions posed challenges.According to a study published in the Journal of Anatomy, rarely were corpses donated for anatomical dissection in England, and there were instances of selling bodies to medical students or even grave-robbing.This practice persisted in the 18th and 19th centuries [4,5].This scenario changed around 1800 with the studies and dissections conducted by Karl Rokitansky and Rudolf Ludwig Karl Virchow, who not only popularized the investigation of death but also marked a period of scientific advancement by elucidating the pathophysiology of many diseases and enriching anatomical knowledge of the time [6][7][8].Over time, this era of "direct investigation" of death gave way to modern technologies, which raise AbstractWhile the investigation of death in the form of autopsy has contributed significantly to advances in medical education and research, modern technology in the form of diagnostic methods has diminished the relevance of internal examination of cadavers as a valuable learning tool.The absence of realistic training models, coupled with a perception of the importance of autopsy in academic activities, has led educators and especially students to confirm the benefits observed in research, including anatomical knowledge, observational skills, the development of attitudes towards death, and improved communication skills with the bereaved.This underscores the need for a revision of current curricula and teaching guidelines.