View in EDS

'The Tactile Realness of 'Life' Is Hitting Me in the Face': Unprompted Student Reflections of Dissection Using Formalin- and Thiel-Embalmed Donors

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: 'The Tactile Realness of 'Life' Is Hitting Me in the Face': Unprompted Student Reflections of Dissection Using Formalin- and Thiel-Embalmed Donors
Language: English
Authors: Kat A. Sanders (ORCID 0000-0003-0838-0936), Rebecca J. Quinn, Louiza Whiteley, Peter J. Bazira (ORCID 0000-0002-8105-5438)
Source: Anatomical Sciences Education. 2025 18(9):912-922.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Laboratory Procedures, Anatomy, Human Body, Graduate Students, Color, Teamwork, Learning Objectives
DOI: 10.1002/ase.70081
ISSN: 1935-9772
1935-9780
Abstract: There is a wide variety of preservation techniques available, and anatomy departments can select an embalming method(s) that best suits their course outcomes. Thiel embalming is becoming popular due to the life-like color and flexibility it provides tissue. This study examined student-perceived impact of learning anatomy by dissecting Thiel-embalmed donors compared with formalin-embalmed donors, and evaluated the reflective learning portfolios of postgraduate anatomy students' over two different cohorts. The first cohort studied limb and back anatomy using formalin-embalmed donors, and afterward studied trunk anatomy using Thiel-embalmed donors. In the second cohort, the embalming methods (but not topics) were exchanged. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes: Comparison to formalin, Authenticity, and Approaches to Learning. The color and flexibility of Thiel tissues supported students to connect their anatomy learning to their future clinical practice; however, the same flexibility sometimes hindered student learning due to visceral structures losing their anatomical shape. Exposure to a different embalming method sparked reflections from more students in both cohorts, but more so from students who transitioned from formalin to Thiel. These same students felt the donor was rehumanized, prompting them to reflect on the importance of teamwork to support each other both academically and emotionally. This was not seen in students transitioning from Thiel to formalin, indicating that the order of exposure has importance. Educators should weigh up the advantages of using different embalming methods alongside their learning objectives and, if switching between embalming methods, should consider the impact that the sequence may have on student learning.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1482714
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1482714
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: 'The Tactile Realness of 'Life' Is Hitting Me in the Face': Unprompted Student Reflections of Dissection Using Formalin- and Thiel-Embalmed Donors
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kat+A%2E+Sanders%22">Kat A. Sanders</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0838-0936">0000-0003-0838-0936</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rebecca+J%2E+Quinn%22">Rebecca J. Quinn</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Louiza+Whiteley%22">Louiza Whiteley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peter+J%2E+Bazira%22">Peter J. Bazira</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8105-5438">0000-0002-8105-5438</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Anatomical+Sciences+Education%22"><i>Anatomical Sciences Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 18(9):912-922.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 11
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Laboratory+Procedures%22">Laboratory Procedures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anatomy%22">Anatomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+Body%22">Human Body</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+Students%22">Graduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Color%22">Color</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teamwork%22">Teamwork</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Objectives%22">Learning Objectives</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1002/ase.70081
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1935-9772<br />1935-9780
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: There is a wide variety of preservation techniques available, and anatomy departments can select an embalming method(s) that best suits their course outcomes. Thiel embalming is becoming popular due to the life-like color and flexibility it provides tissue. This study examined student-perceived impact of learning anatomy by dissecting Thiel-embalmed donors compared with formalin-embalmed donors, and evaluated the reflective learning portfolios of postgraduate anatomy students' over two different cohorts. The first cohort studied limb and back anatomy using formalin-embalmed donors, and afterward studied trunk anatomy using Thiel-embalmed donors. In the second cohort, the embalming methods (but not topics) were exchanged. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes: Comparison to formalin, Authenticity, and Approaches to Learning. The color and flexibility of Thiel tissues supported students to connect their anatomy learning to their future clinical practice; however, the same flexibility sometimes hindered student learning due to visceral structures losing their anatomical shape. Exposure to a different embalming method sparked reflections from more students in both cohorts, but more so from students who transitioned from formalin to Thiel. These same students felt the donor was rehumanized, prompting them to reflect on the importance of teamwork to support each other both academically and emotionally. This was not seen in students transitioning from Thiel to formalin, indicating that the order of exposure has importance. Educators should weigh up the advantages of using different embalming methods alongside their learning objectives and, if switching between embalming methods, should consider the impact that the sequence may have on student learning.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1482714
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1482714
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/ase.70081
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 912
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Laboratory Procedures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anatomy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Human Body
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Color
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teamwork
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning Objectives
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: 'The Tactile Realness of 'Life' Is Hitting Me in the Face': Unprompted Student Reflections of Dissection Using Formalin- and Thiel-Embalmed Donors
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kat A. Sanders
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rebecca J. Quinn
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Louiza Whiteley
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Peter J. Bazira
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1935-9772
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1935-9780
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 18
            – Type: issue
              Value: 9
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Anatomical Sciences Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1