Body donation programme

What will my body be used for?

We use donated bodies for teaching medical students and students on courses allied to medicine about the structure and function of the human body. We provide specialised training courses for doctors, surgeons and other healthcare professionals. From time to time we may host courses for anatomical artists and medical illustrators.

We host researchers undertaking research in connection with disorders, or the functioning, of the human body. Donated bodies are not used for research into specific diseases. If you wish to donate your body to research into a specific condition, please contact the relevant research organisation or charity.

What happens to donated bodies?

Specialist staff embalm donated bodies in our mortuary and store them under strictly-controlled conditions, under the regulation of the Human Tissue Authority. Students and medical trainees attend teaching sessions in our Demonstration Room and nearby classrooms in our specialist anatomy education facility. Classes are led by medical tutors, researchers, anatomy prosectors and clinicians. We use modern imaging techniques to equip students for their clinical practice and we create histological slides to teach microscopic anatomy.

What are the funeral arrangements?

The medical school arranges and meets all the costs of a modest committal service and cremation. This includes the provision of a coffin and conveyance to the crematorium; a short service at the crematorium, at which the medical school is represented; and the cremation. We will also arrange the scattering of the cremated remains in a garden of remembrance at the local crematorium, unless the next of kin has indicated that they wish to have the ashes returned to them.

The form we will send to the next of kin or executor if we are able to accept a donation includes questions about what they wish the final funeral arrangements to be. Families are given three options for their involvement in the funeral.

1.            To receive no communication regarding the funeral or the scattering of the ashes.

2.            To be notified of the date and time of the funeral in advance but not to attend.

3.            To attend a funeral arranged by the medical school. If this option is selected, we will contact your next of kin and agree the date and the arrangements with them.

The majority of families opt to have the medical school arrange the funeral and cremation, but it is possible to have a sealed coffin returned to the family for private funeral arrangements. All expenses involved in arranging private funeral arrangements will be the responsibility of the family.

Funerals usually take place approximately three years after death. In some cases it can take place much sooner, sometimes within six months.

We are always glad to hear from the families of our donors if they wish to discuss their options. We understand that their wishes may change when some time has passed after the death. For this reason, we will always try to contact families to re-confirm their wishes before arranging a funeral.

Can I have a green burial?

Unfortunately, due to the nature of the chemicals we use, bodies donated to the medical school are unsuitable for green burial.