The School is licensed to practise anatomy and to accept body donations from members of the Western Australian community.

These bodies are used for anatomical teaching, medical and scientific research and specialist training.

The generous bequests made by our donors enable enhancement of anatomical study for:

• medical students
• dental students
• science students
• physiotherapy and nursing students
• postgraduate surgical trainees
• research scientists.

This in turn, benefits the whole society by training:

• doctors and dentists
• scientists
• medical specialists (pathology, surgery, orthopaedics, urology and the like)
• para-medical specialists (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing).

The generosity of donor bequests is acknowledged by the University community at a Memorial Service held every three years, and through Memorial Gardens.

An act of recognition and gratitude

In addition to the Memorial Service, an Act of Recognition and Gratitude is read out by a representative of each student group on behalf of the class at the start of each semester:

As students of human anatomy in the health sciences, we wish to acknowledge formally in this Act of Recognition, our gratitude for the gifts of human bodies and our respect for those people who have generously bequeathed their mortal remains so that we may study and understand.

We also recognise that there is something special about this material, that each of these bodies represents the tangible remains of a person with a living history of growth from childhood, of a rich and varied life story, of health and illness, of joy and sadness, of human relationships, of intellectual and spiritual achievement.

Having so acknowledged, we now pause for one minute in a small act of respect for this material gift and also to offer (according to our beliefs) perhaps a prayer or a reflection of these truths. These may be linked with consideration of how we will use this new knowledge in our future profession.

Students of human anatomy in the health sciences