BENGALURU: Karnataka govt will soon issue guidelines to medical students on showing appropriate behaviour and respect towards bodies donated for studies and research.The move comes days after clips of medical students talking disrespectfully about cadavers went viral on social media, triggering a nationwide debate on ethics, professionalism, and respect for cadavers among medical students.The ethics committee will meet next week to discuss how best to reiterate the existing guidelines with modifications on medical students’ conduct while handling cadavers.Terming body donation one of the noblest forms of donation, medical education minister Sharan Prakash Patil told TOI that although the state has had no such cases, govt will still issue cadaver guidelines for students.With anatomy forming the foundation for all clinical subjects, cadaver study is an integral part of the first-year MBBS curriculum. It helps medical students understand relationships of organs, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels before they go on to learn surgery, medicine, radiology, and other specialties.The state has 72 medical colleges with 13,000 students. According to Karnataka Medical Council, students are taught to respect cadavers and recognise the noble act of body donation in first year.
