Honoring the body donors who are a medical student’s “first patient.”

Similar scenes played out across the country this spring as medical, dental and physical therapy students gathered to pay tribute to whole-body donors and their families. During the ceremonies, students perform music, light candles, read letters, and share art. (A heart diagram from Ms. Zhang’s anatomy studies, overlaid with her whimsical drawings of books, tree roots, and human figures, was projected behind her as she spoke at Columbia.) A non-denominational spiritual leader often plays a role. Sometimes a tree designation or offering of flowers to a donor’s family is included.

It’s not clear how many people in the United States donate their bodies for medical research and education, although estimates suggest so about 20,000 people or their families do every year. Criteria vary by program and by state; in general, anyone over the age of 18 can become a donor, although people with certain communicable diseases, such as hepatitis B or C, tuberculosis, HIV or AIDS, are generally excluded. Many programs also exclude bodies that have undergone autopsy or had organs removed for donation.

Even with the introduction of comprehensive 3D visualization software, dissection remains a cornerstone of medical education for most freshmen, as it has been for centuries. Students spend months methodically studying the structures of the body, including organs, tendons, veins, and tissues. Experience teaches more than the fundamentals of medicine. Treating the donor, who is considered a doctor’s first patient, with respect and care gives students a foundation in ethics and professionalism, said Joy Balta, the chair of the American Association for Anatomy’s human body donation committee.

Recognize a sacrifice

Body donation is a selfless act of the donors, but also of their families, who may wait a few years to receive the ashes. The memorials, often called ceremonies of appreciation or gratitude, recognize the sacrifice.

“You can think about the donor you worked with,” says Dr. Balta, who is also director of the Anatomy Learning Institute at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. “These are people,” he added, “who donated their bodies, who wanted you to work with them to improve science and healthcare.”