Presented By: Jickssa Gemechu, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Co-Authors: Eiman Abdel Meguid, Queen's University Belfast
Inaya Hajj Hussein, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Abdo Jurjus, American University of Beirut
Abay Zenebe, Addis Ababa University, College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine

Purpose 
Anatomy is the oldest discipline of medical sciences, with human donor dissection functioning as a critical learning tool since the 12th Century CE. However, the dissection experience has always been associated with strong emotions, particularly at first exposure. This multicenter study assessed the emotional & anxiety experiences, cultural attachment, and coping strategies across different curricula. 

Methods 
First-year medical students from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB), American University of Beirut (AUB), Queens University Belfast (QUEENS), and Addis Ababa University (ETH) completed an online survey at two-time points: Time 1 (a week before initial exposure to donor dissection) and Time 2 (a week after exposure).  

Results 
The self-report results on emotional experiences showed a significant difference between the four schools at Time 1, but not at Time 2. There was no significant change from Time 1 to Time 2 among cultural attachment reports. The four schools showed a decrease in reported anxiety levels at Time 2. They did not show any significant differences in positive coping at Time 1 while showing significant differences at Time 2. Negative coping manifested significant differences at both Time 1 & 2. 

Conclusion 
These findings revealed significant group differences between students from different curricula. There appear to be differences between groups nested in these schools, not only prior to the dissection experience but also in how they acclimate to the emotional experiences during dissection. The significant change from Time 1 to Time 2 among cultural attachment, (which suggests it functions as a constant), therefore is predictive of other emotions and coping strategies rather than being predicted by them. Among all four schools in the aggregate, positive coping increased from Time 1 to Time 2, while emotional experiences, anxiety-provoking & negative coping significantly reduced.