IQAC Cadaveric Lab
December 30, 2025 2026-02-23 9:22IQAC Cadaveric Lab
Cadaveric Lab
Title of the Practice
Cadaveric Lab (only facility in Northern India): A Unique Practice for Enabling Improvised Healthcare Training Facilities for Medical Students and Surgeons of the University as well as other institutions.
Context
Cadaver is an important tool for medical education as it gives immense information forming the basis of nowledge for medical students. Until recently, cadavers were used for learning by dissection only during first year of medical education,. Now, clinical students & clinicians and doctors from other centers also use cadavers for Self-Directed Learning with near real situation.
Training in surgical specialties, particularly operative skills is a complex task involving training, ethical issues, and patient factors. Cadaveric skills lab is a cost-effective solution for learning various operative procedures, critical steps and that too in almost identical ways it would be performed in living patients. Trainings on cadavers provide a comprehensive understanding of various topics through lectures, case discussions and cadaveric dissections. Learners get a chance to directly view important anatomical structures along with surgical approaches and implant placements. Hands-on training under direct supervision of expert faculty in simulated environments is an innovative way of practical training.
Facility
We have a separate cold chamber for body preservation in the mortuary unit with 24×7 power backup and has storage racks to accommodate 16-20 cadavers in body-sealing bags at temperatures of -17/18 degrees centigrade. We have sufficient soft cadavers, 4 operating stations with overhead OT lights and monitors along with facilities of video/ audio recording and LCD for transmission of surgeries. Also, we have two C-arms with good resolution of digital X-Ray plates and a high backup memory. There is an annexed Conference Hall to conduct Lectures and discussions with interactive live screen conferencing. There is adequate space to accommodate 50 delegates at any point of time. Proximity to the airport adds to our strength and makes our facility easily accessible to delegates.
Future plans
Through our recent agreement with Stryker India Private Limited and Stryker Global Technology Centre Private Limited we are in the process to introduce robotic cadaveric surgery training in 2024, which shall make us pioneers in the field of robotic cadaveric workshops in this part of the country.
Evidence of Success
It has been 10 years now since we started Cadaveric Workshops in our esteemed Institute. The following table shows the number of workshops held each year:
| Year | No. of Workshop Conducted | No. of Trainees Trained |
|---|---|---|
2014 | 16 | 228 |
2015 | 10 | 111 |
2016 | 19 | 306 |
2017 | 13 | 179 |
2018 | 10 | 222 |
2019 | 9 | 269 |
2020 | 2 | 60 |
2021 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | 1 | 46 |
2023 | 11 | 236 |
The above data clearly shows the Institute is conducting 12-13 cadaveric workshops annually and helping almost 220-222 young budding doctors hone their practical skills, excluding the Covid-19 period between 2020-22. It speaks of our untiring, dedicated and committed duties towards creating skilled surgeons.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required
- Procuring good-quality cadavers has been a major challenge due to increasingly stringent legal requirements. This has been addressed by organizing body donation awareness programs in targeted communities to educate people about donating bodies after death for teaching, training, and research purposes. These programs are currently the primary source of body procurement; however, active support from government authorities is required to procure a greater number of unclaimed bodies.
- The high cost of maintenance is another significant challenge, as the cold chamber facility requires 24×7 power backup, leading to substantial maintenance expenses.
- A dedicated CT scan and MRI facility attached to the unit is urgently needed, considering future plans to initiate robotic cadaveric workshops.
Notes
The availability of Cadaveric Labs needs to be expanded throughout the country and this model of enhancing surgical skills can be replicated elsewhere.
Title of the Practice
Cadaveric Lab (only facility in Northern India): A Unique Practice for Enabling Improvised Healthcare Training Facilities for Medical Students and Surgeons of the University as well as other institutions.
Context
Cadaver is an important tool for medical education as it gives immense information forming the basis of nowledge for medical students. Until recently, cadavers were used for learning by dissection only during first year of medical education,. Now, clinical students & clinicians and doctors from other centers also use cadavers for Self-Directed Learning with near real situation.
Training in surgical specialties, particularly operative skills is a complex task involving training, ethical issues, and patient factors. Cadaveric skills lab is a cost-effective solution for learning various operative procedures, critical steps and that too in almost identical ways it would be performed in living patients. Trainings on cadavers provide a comprehensive understanding of various topics through lectures, case discussions and cadaveric dissections. Learners get a chance to directly view important anatomical structures along with surgical approaches and implant placements. Hands-on training under direct supervision of expert faculty in simulated environments is an innovative way of practical training.
Facility
We have a separate cold chamber for body preservation in the mortuary unit with 24×7 power backup and has storage racks to accommodate 16-20 cadavers in body-sealing bags at temperatures of -17/18 degrees centigrade. We have sufficient soft cadavers, 4 operating stations with overhead OT lights and monitors along with facilities of video/ audio recording and LCD for transmission of surgeries. Also, we have two C-arms with good resolution of digital X-Ray plates and a high backup memory. There is an annexed Conference Hall to conduct Lectures and discussions with interactive live screen conferencing. There is adequate space to accommodate 50 delegates at any point of time. Proximity to the airport adds to our strength and makes our facility easily accessible to delegates.
Future plans
Through our recent agreement with Stryker India Private Limited and Stryker Global Technology Centre Private Limited we are in the process to introduce robotic cadaveric surgery training in 2024, which shall make us pioneers in the field of robotic cadaveric workshops in this part of the country.
Evidence of Success
It has been 10 years now since we started Cadaveric Workshops in our esteemed Institute. The following table shows the number of workshops held each year:
| Year | No. of Workshop Conducted | No. of Trainees Trained |
|---|---|---|
2014 | 16 | 228 |
2015 | 10 | 111 |
2016 | 19 | 306 |
2017 | 13 | 179 |
2018 | 10 | 222 |
2019 | 9 | 269 |
2020 | 2 | 60 |
2021 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | 1 | 46 |
2023 | 11 | 236 |
The above data clearly shows the Institute is conducting 12-13 cadaveric workshops annually and helping almost 220-222 young budding doctors hone their practical skills, excluding the Covid-19 period between 2020-22. It speaks of our untiring, dedicated and committed duties towards creating skilled surgeons.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required
- Procuring good-quality cadavers has been a major challenge due to increasingly stringent legal requirements. This has been addressed by organizing body donation awareness programs in targeted communities to educate people about donating bodies after death for teaching, training, and research purposes. These programs are currently the primary source of body procurement; however, active support from government authorities is required to procure a greater number of unclaimed bodies.
- The high cost of maintenance is another significant challenge, as the cold chamber facility requires 24×7 power backup, leading to substantial maintenance expenses.
- A dedicated CT scan and MRI facility attached to the unit is urgently needed, considering future plans to initiate robotic cadaveric workshops.
Notes
The availability of Cadaveric Labs needs to be expanded throughout the country and this model of enhancing surgical skills can be replicated elsewhere.
