The second discipline taught through the medium of dissection is histopathology. This tends to be taught through students attending routine post mortem examinations which are undertaken in teaching and peripheral hospitals.

The post mortem examination has been regarded as an excellent teaching resource for medical students for a number of reasons:

(a) It allows three dimensional revision of anatomy in a more clinical context.

(b) It places the dry textbook descriptions of pathology into a clinical context

(c) It promotes problem-solving skills, essential to medical practice

(d) It provides an audit role such that students can see the results of treatment (good or bad) on the pathology of the individual and evaluate the efficacy of treatments they have observed on the wards

(e) It is an excellent way of preparing students for the practical component of clinical pathology examinations

(f) It helps students come to terms with the fact that many of their patients will die and that this is a normal part of medical practice

Despite the benefits ascribed to post mortem examination, its use in medical education has declined. There are a number of possible reasons for this. Within normal medical practice post mortem as a technique in general has declined. Within medical education dissection has declined as a teaching technique and obligatory post mortem sessions and formal pathology teaching and examinations have been largely removed from medical curricula. While the reasons for the decline are not clear cut what is clear is that students no longer attend post mortems regularly, if at all, during their undergraduate medical education.

Many pathologists and medical teachers still feel that the post mortem has great benefit in medical training for the reasons outlined above. Students on the Cambridge Graduate Course still attend at least one post mortem during their course (in addition to regular anatomical dissection).

Research questions:

What are the attitudes of students to the post mortem examination in terms of its use
As a technique in medicine and society?
For teaching?
On a personal level?
What is the use of the post mortem as a tool for medical education?
How can we better prepare students for the experience of a post mortem examination?
How can we better support students who experience difficulties as a result of their exposure to the technique?

Phase 2: Nominal group technique discussion for identification of themes and issues to form the basis for the focus group discussions

Phase 3: Two focus group discussions to explore in depth student attitudes and opinions about the post mortem informed by the themes and issues arising from the nominal group discussion.