UMMC Body Donation Program

The University of Mississippi Medical Center Body Donation Program (BDP) is a silent contributor to health science education. BDP is a part of the Department of Advanced Biomedical Education under the leadership of Dr. Norma Ojeda, Department Chair. BDP comprises five members including Dr. Yuefeng Lu, Program Director; Dr. Timothy Dasinger, Assistant Director; Janeese Parker, Program Administrator; Joyce Shelby, Business Operations Director; and Christopher Grant, the Lab Manager. Mr. Grant cares for all the anatomical specimens in the lab and the basement storage room.

The BDP requires attention 24 hours a day, seven days a week and has a relatively stable pool of approximately 10,000 active donors in the registration file. The program continues to accept potential donors as it manages the daily calls from donors or families who have questions. In a typical academic year, BDP serves 170 medical students, 40 dental students, 100 master students, 100 physical therapy and occupational therapy students, and 40 pre-matriculants in the medical and dental schools. In addition to serving the needs of these educational programs, BDP also has a designated small laboratory to serve the various needs of our clinicians. BDP also hosts high school and college visits from schools from across the state.

While there is significant effort devoted to the management of the BDP, all faculty, staff, students, and visitors have a deep sense of gratitude for the donors, their families, and the ultimate gift along with the educational value added by having bodies which enhance students’ capacity to learn basic anatomical knowledge and the variations of the human body. The Gross Anatomy lab is a special place, often a place where students form groups and begin the transformation from layman to health care professional.

The gratitude for donors is formally expressed in the Annual Ceremony of Thanksgiving which is typically held in April at the school cemetery. The names of our donors are called as heroes and teachers. Student representatives from each school have the opportunity to express their appreciation to our donors and their families. Each year, we hear about the lasting memories and impact on students’ lives and their professional identity formation.