Burrell College held its annual Donor Appreciation Ceremony on both campuses to recognize and honor those who selflessly donated their bodies to advance medical education.
The event, which featured musical performances and poetry readings by students, provided a space for reflection and gratitude from both students and faculty.
“This is our chance for students and faculty to express their gratitude to our donors and just talk a little bit about some of the experiences they have had over the course of the year,” said Dr. Steven Ontiveros, Chair of Anatomy & Cell Biology. “We’re here to pay respects to the families and say thank you.”
The ceremony highlighted the crucial role donors play in educating future physicians. Dr. Orhan Arslan, Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology, emphasized the profound impact of hands-on anatomical learning.
“Donors basically provide the opportunity for a student to explore the body, identify the relationship of anatomical structure that will form the basis for their future patient examination,” Dr. Arslan said. “Not only do they learn anatomy, but they also learn other elements such as respect and responsibility for the human body.”
Students spoke about the unique educational advantage offered by human cadaver dissection, a practice not available at all medical institutions.
“It’s important to honor the bodies that we worked on in class and celebrate them because they were a huge part in our medical journey,” said first-year student doctor Salvatore Corallo. “Even though we all are human, our variation in anatomy is very important, which is going to help us practice better medicine.”
The ceremony is a reoccurring tradition at Burrell College—one that recognizes the silent teachers who shape the skills and ethics of tomorrow’s physicians.
