Commonly Asked Questions
In medical School, gross anatomy – the study of the human body – represents our first introduction into learning the art and science of medicine. With this introduction comes an introduction to our new teachers – the bodies generously donated by members of society who realized that, even after death, they teach.
Shahid Nimjee
Medical Student
Duke University School of Medicine
| Commonly Asked Questions |
Thank you for your interest...
We appreciate your request for information about donating your body, or that of a loved one, for use by medical science through the Duke Anatomical Gifts Program. The program is a service of the Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy at Duke University Medical Center.
All of the members of the Duke Anatomical Gifts Program are committed to working closely with donor families to ensure that each donation proceeds smoothly, that the donation is accepted in a thoughtful and respectful manner, and that the wishes of the departed and his or her family are honored wherever possible.
This section of our site was created to answer questions you might have about the program and about the procedures that are followed to make a donation. If you have questions that this brochure does not answer, please call us at (919) 681-5471 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Is the Uniform Donor Card necessary?
No. Duke will accept your body without this card. The card simply serves to alert your family and health care providers that you wish to donate your body to the Anatomical Gifts Program.
Can I withdraw from this program if I change my mind?
Yes. Simply notify us by phone or by mail.
How will my body be used?
The majority of the bodies that are donated to us are used for teaching anatomy (body structure) to medical students. Surgical residents and physicians use cadavers to review anatomy in detail or to develop new surgical procedures. Bodies are rarely used for research. In every case, the Anatomical Gifts Program retains responsibility for the respectful use and maintenance of the body.
If I complete and return the Uniform Donor Card, does the Anatomical Gifts Program guarantee that it will accept my body?
No. Acceptance depends chiefly upon whether the body will be suitable as a teaching model. The Anatomical Gifts Program has the right to decline a body that it feels is unsuitable for its use. Some circumstances under which the program usually declines the gift include:
- The body has been autopsied.
- Organs (except for eyes) have been removed at the time of death.
- The body has been badly damaged by accident, suicide, or very invasive surgery, making it unsuitable for anatomical study.
- The body is extremely obese.
- The body carries pathogens that would pose a health risk to program staff members.
If my death should occur at a great distance from Duke or if Duke were unable to accept my body, could it be offered to another medical school?
Yes. Stating on the donor card that your preferred donee is Duke expresses a preference for Duke, but does not make it exclusive. The physician in attendance at the time of death may arrange for its use at another medical school.
Does the Anatomical Gifts Program accept donations from out of state?
Yes.
How would my family or physician notify the Anatomical Gifts Program of my death?
The program should be notified of the death as soon as possible. If the death occurs during normal working hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30pm), please call (919) 681-5471. If the death occurs at night, on the weekend, or on a holiday, please contact the Anatomical Gift Program person on call at 919-812-7430.
What happens then?
1. A program staff member will determine whether the gift is acceptable by asking a few questions about the cause of death and the condition of the body.
2. If the body is accepted, the department will request that a signed and witnessed consent form be completed by a family member.
3. The family is asked to arrange and pay for transportation costs to Duke University Medical Center. If the cost of transport imposes a financial burden on a family, we will consider, on a case-by-case basis, assuming some or all of the expense. We can also make the transportation arrangements if the family does not already have a service provider.
4. The transportation service selected must call the department to coordinate the paperwork and arrival time.
What is the procedure regarding the death certificate?
When we accept a body, we must also receive a copy of the death certificate with the necessary information filled in by the attending physician. We can assist the family in completing the rest of the death certificate.
May family members arrange a funeral if they wish to have one?
Certainly. Not only does the program allow a funeral service, we advise and encourage it. Because of our unique needs regarding the condition of the body, we require a slight change in the embalming process. The family's funeral home should therefore contact our director for specific instructions before doing any embalming.
Can you provide a report on disease conditions found in my body?
No. Such a report would require an autopsy. Bodies donated to the program are used for teaching about the structure of the body.
What if my doctor wants to do an autopsy?
When the cause of death is unclear, an autopsy may make an important contribution to medical science. The choice between permitting the autopsy and donating the body to the program must be made by the family. The decision to permit an autopsy will not be opposed by the program, but we cannot then accept the body.
What do you do with remains after you have finished your studies?
Upon completion of the study, we cremate the remains. The cremated remains may be returned at the family's request to the family or to a funeral home. The family may also request that the program make respectful disposition of the remains. There is no charge for the cremation or the mailing.
If I donate usable organs for transplantation, can I also donate my body to the Anatomical Gifts Program?
No. Organ donation and body donation are totally separate programs with very different goals and different requirements. We encourage people to be organ donors, but that does rule out being a whole-body donor. Many of our donors are people who, for one reason or another, were not suitable candidates for organ donation.
There is one exception to the above: Eyes, and only eyes, may be donated by whole-body donors. For information on the donation of eyes, contact The North Carolina Eye Bank, Inc., 3900 Westpoint Boulevard, Suite F, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27103; phone (336) 765-0932 or (800) 552-9956.
Does the Anatomical Gifts Program pay anything for my body?
Duke does not pay for bodies, nor does any other medical school. We do, however, provide many services free of charge. We can assist the family in filing the notification of death, the death certificate, and burial transit permits, and with publishing obituary notices in the newspaper. We can also help surviving family members file for Social Security and veteran's benefits. As noted above, we can arrange and, in some cases of financial hardship, pay for transportation of the body to Duke.
You may print a donor card by clicking on: Uniform Donor Card 
.
. If you would like us to send you more information including a Uniform Donor Card and an instruction sheet, please contact us:
Ms. Nancy Cotton
The Duke Anatomical Gifts Program
Department of Medical Education
Box 3952
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710
Call:
919-681-5471
Or e-mail:
mailto:Nancy.Cotton@duke.edu
The Duke Anatomical Gifts Program
Department of Medical Education
Box 3952
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710
Call:
919-681-5471
Or e-mail:
mailto:Nancy.Cotton@duke.edu
Once again, we appreciate your interest in the Duke Anatomical Gifts Program, and hope you will let us know of any further questions or concerns you may have.
