If you had the opportunity to attend an autopsy, would you?

Luke · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:20

I'd like to get to one but despite being in the medical field I've struggled to manage it.
It used to be the norm during training, but not these days.

Tek81 · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:24

Luke said:
I'd like to get to one but despite being in the medical field I've struggled to manage it.
It used to be the norm during training, but not these days.

Yeah, apparently it wasn't easy to arrange. We're the first bunch of students to go in several years.

Dis86 · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:29

Luke said:
I'd like to get to one but despite being in the medical field I've struggled to manage it.
It used to be the norm during training, but not these days.

Police and fire fighters used to go too.

Raymond Lin · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:35

tek81 said:
I should have added that I'm a medical student, albeit not one that would have to deal with the dead. My class is very much 50/50 on this.

I think you owe it to yourself in those case to go, it will be a learning experience which is why you are in university in the first place.

Zenduri · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:36

I would go out of curiosity. I remember watching the Channel 4 autopsy program years ago with Dr Gunther Von Hagens and being really interested as he carefully hacked apart several donated bodies...it was graphic but bloody good. You can find clips on youtube

Mysterae_ · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:45

I think the smell would never leave you.

If there's a chance you'll encounter a dead person in your job, I'd do it to get over your first as it were. If it's literally morbid curiosity then see a different doctor!

Delvis · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:47

I assume its for academic purposes for yourself and to further your career or training or something? Why the hell wouldn't you

Rannoch · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:51

I was working inside a secure area in a hospital a few years ago. Passed a window on the fire escape and saw a bloke with his hands deep inside a body. Closest I’ll want to get.

Squark · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:51

Heck no

Destination · 24 Oct 2017 at 19:10

tek81 said:
Strangest question of the week? I've been given the chance to attend an autopsy. I feel as though it's a once in a life time opportunity, with significant educational merit, but I can't shake off the feeling that I might freak out and make a complete fool of myself once it all "kicks off". What would you do?

No issues, yes, if it was in my interest at the time it was offered.
I've dissected a body entirely in the past, good learning experience.
Don't do much dissection of pieces of face nowadays, best left to those doing them all day every day.

Rroff · 24 Oct 2017 at 19:12

Mysterae_ said:
I think the smell would never leave you.

They usually spray some industrial strength stuff around (think its dual purpose) - which is pungent enough itself.

Mark A · 24 Oct 2017 at 19:14

That live autopsy thing on Channel 4 was enough for me.

Fishbait · 24 Oct 2017 at 19:20

Mark A said:
That live autopsy thing on Channel 4 was enough for me.

Was there much screaming when the cutting began? They're usually dead at autopsies aren't they?

Fishbait · 24 Oct 2017 at 19:23

Yep, I'd go. It's just another (in the words of Bender) meat bag. You're surrounded by them most of your life, why not find out what the inner workings are like.
If you're a medical student, you're most likely going to see all sorts of blood, guts, fluid & body parts in that career, so why not dive right in & get it over with.

Mark A · 24 Oct 2017 at 19:38

Fishbait said:
Was there much screaming when the cutting began? They're usually dead at autopsies aren't they?

Ha ha

. I'm pretty sure it was televised live is what I meant lol. I can't actually remember much as I turned it off as it was nasty as hell and put me off my food for a few days after it.

ianh · 24 Oct 2017 at 19:55

DO IT!!!! but expect it to smell rough once the abdomen is opened as the intestines/bowel/stomach etc smell, to put if frankly, rank!

The cutting, cranial saw noise etc didn't bother me that much i.e. what I saw/heard wasn't "bad", just the smell.

Malevolence · 24 Oct 2017 at 20:01

One of my previous jobs was a mortuary tech., so yeah...

Fishbait · 24 Oct 2017 at 20:07

Mark A said:
Ha ha . I'm pretty sure it was televised live is what I meant lol. I can't actually remember much as I turned it off as it was nasty as hell and put me off my food for a few days after it.

Ah, that'd make more sense

Tek81 · 24 Oct 2017 at 21:52

I'll never know what my reaction to the situation will be unless I go. For the sake of education and pushing my own comfort levels, I'm going to go. It's not on for another few weeks. I'll update afterward.

DailyGeek · 24 Oct 2017 at 22:06

I'm an Anatomical Pathology Technologist for the NHS so it's my job to do them. Well, I eviscerate and reconstruct and assist the pathologist. Essentially I'm the one that opens, removes and puts back, also take body fluid samples, I retrieve brain and spinal cord donations, eye retrievals etc.

I think it's fascinating and qualify next year (been in post 2 years). I would say Von Hagens shows are interesting but not that accurate to the sights of a real post mortem as the deceased have been plastinated.

Any questions I'm happy to help