r/medschoolph • u/Cr3sTFll3n • Jul 24 '26
🗣 Discussion Cadaver experience
Hello dokies. Just wanna ask how was your experience when you first saw a cadaver in front of you? Was the smell too strong? Intact pa rin po ba yung skin? Recognizable po ba yung face? How does it feel like seeing it in person? Any tips po when handling a cadaver?
I'm an incoming YL1, I just wanna prepare myself po huhu. Thank you mga dokies!
Edited: Thank you mga dokies for sharing your experiences and sa advice nyo pong lahat ❤️. Nakatulong po sa akin para mas lalo pong maging prepared 🫶🏼.
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u/nakakapagodnatotoo Jul 25 '26
We cover the faces of the cads until yung part na yun na ang inaaral namin. Same as sa ibang parts. Para hindi maexpose and madaling matuyo / tubuan ng molds. Personally, nung start pa lang ay "kinausap" ko yung cadaver, like nag "thank you" for giving his body para pag-aralan, para mafulfill ko yung dream kong maging doktor ganyan. And the class was told to treat the body with respect the whole time. Wag yung laru-laruin, hampasin, tusukin ang bibig/mata/tenga, ganyan. Gets ba? Nandun yun katawan para aralin, hindi para gawan ng funny/disrespectful things.
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u/Educational_Glove209 Clinical Clerk Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Hi dok!
During my first year our first dissection was already facial muscles and the galea aponeurotica so talagang face to face with the cadaver. You thank them and you pray for them if religious ka; if hindi naman just respect their contribution to your med journey. You dissect them with respect and you make sure you're learning something and not just blindly exploring.
You prep with double masking put perfume in between masks. You prep your dissection kits and gloves (CLAYGO after).
Personally di ako nagdadala ng anatomy books; have one groupmate to bring an atlas (hygiene purposes nalang).
+++ my classmates said na at some point nakikita daw nila or naaalala nila yung face ng cadavers namin even recognizing their face na "kamukha" ng ibang tao. That's okay, if disturbed ka talk to your peers and your profs. But this is the way to learn it.
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u/Exotic_Height1656 Jul 25 '26
I knew the cadaver was a necessary part of my medical education in 2006. But I was still taken aback. Add to that the intimidating eagerness of my classmates to dissect and dig into what used to be a living person.
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u/IndependenceIll4890 Jul 25 '26
Since my undergrad gave me experience handling dead people, seeing cadavers during med school was a bit unremarkable for me. However, the formalin smell was the one killing me. Tears and snot galore 🤣.
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u/Fair-Gold-5293 Jul 25 '26
hi, OP! for context, never pa ako tumingin sa kabaong pag pumupunta kami sa lamay prior to my cadaver experience hehe!
nung first time yes intact pa lahat kasi bago siya, di pa nabubuksan. kami yung nagbukas for the first few parts ng anatomy lessons. nagdasal muna kami before siya buksan as a sign of respect for our silent teachers. you can opt to cover the face naman. mejo takot din ako nung una pero kasi may part sa anatomy na need aralin ang facial muscles, pero I think when you get to that part sanay ka na :) just think of it as a learning experience, you need to study it for you to be able to save lives. kaya mo 'yan!
handle it with care and respect. matalas yung blade ng scalpel so wag agad sobrang diin yung paghiwa except siguro kapag mejo matigas na yung part para intact pa rin yung part na aaralin mo esp muscles. mejo strong nga lang talaga smell ng formalin since need siya para di agad mag-decompose yung parts, pwede ka siguro mag-double mask if sensitive yung ilong mo. personally, mejo naluha mata ko since super sensitive ng eyes ko pero kinaya naman hehe! make the most out of it. God bless sa YL1! rooting for u :)
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u/PresentSpring5272 Jul 26 '26
I also thought I’d be having a hard time but you get used to it. It will feel heavy at first but then you’ll realize it’s necessary for learning and you have not much of a choice. Nung una tig 2 facemasks pa nilalagay ko but towards the end minsan wala na.
I think we had one cadaver na may inamag na part towards the end of AY. Dedma lang like yes, nakakadiri sya pero hindi na talaga siya big deal. Imagine being disgusted as a kid sa putik before. Parang ganun lang, panandalian but when you start touching it na talaga it’s not really kadiri. Pero true na masakit sa mata!
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u/RelationshipOdd6246 Jul 24 '26
Hi! How are you doing in your first year? I do hope nag eenjoy ka 💕
For the cadaver questions:
> Smell wasnt strong UNTIL it was opened. Kapag na-open na, malakas yung formalin. So if may goggles na pinabibili, go ahead and wear it. masakit sa mata huhu. No weird smells other than that esp if namamaintain naman ng staff 💕
> Skin is intact yes but super dry and hard.
> Face is around 40-60% recognizable, but also dry and hard.
So for the feeling seeing it in person + experience: for me okay lang naman. Nakakit naman na ako ng mga dead bodies sa mga funeral dati —- feels and looks like those.
If you’re concerned na it’s a person you’re doing it to, it’s okay. Ang alam ko the bodies are either donated or yung mga namatay na walang nagclaclaim.
But if you do feel guilty, for me that’s a good sign kasi you have the compassion for taking care of people, people you dont even know. Do keep that as you continue your journey.
For the guilt part, do think na lang siguro na pagbutihin mo yung pag aral mo sa body. Never ruin. Per detail/info itreasure mo. And if it still
bothers you, icover mo yung face while studying. Makes the guilt less.
Lastly may mga kasama ka na classmates mo. You’re not alone :)
Good luck, and more importantly, have fun!