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Procedures for Obtaining Specimens

Our first obligation is to provide the cadaveric specimens needed for our educational programs; secondly, for research.

Requests must be submitted in writing to:

Kayla McNeill, Director
Willed Body Program, BSEB 138
PO Box 26901
Oklahoma City, OK 73126-0901
Tel. (405) 271-2424 ext. 48531  

Departments/faculty must submit a written request to the Director; if the request is approved, a Service Unit Request Form will be required. Billing is handled through the OUHSC Service Unit Accounting Office (the donor program must assess a cadaver use fee in order to be reimbursed for the charges incurred for administrative costs, embalming, transportation, storage, cremation, and final disposition).

Private practice physicians often need cadaveric material for new surgery techniques, for research, or formal and informal continuing education; they also must submit their request in writing, and if approved, they will be billed accordingly.

Most specimens are used in laboratories on campus; however, off campus sites may be approved if they meet the guidelines set fourth by the OUHSC Willed Body Program and the State Anatomical Board. In all cases, the specimens are returned to the donor program for cremation.

Guidelines for institutions or individuals requesting human cadavers for health sciences education and/or research:

The Anatomical Board of the State of Oklahoma and the OUHSC Willed Body Program require that any individual or institution requesting human cadavers for medical education or research first meet the requirements outlined below:

  1. Select a designated person who will be responsible for:
    • Receiving
    • Maintenance
    • Security
    • Return of body and/or all parts to the Anatomical Board
    • Submitting phone numbers where he/she can be reached 24 hours a day (or alternate numbers)
    • Setting the appropriate atmosphere for the use of human remains
  2. Items to be submitted for approval:
    • Description and drawings (if available) of the room(s) where the body will be used for teaching and storage. A high security area should be selected for this use and that one room might serve both purposes.
    • If cadaver is for teaching, submit a course syllabus with inserts as to where and how the use of the cadaver will add to the support of the teaching program of that particular discipline (include numbers of students, types of students, educational objectives, etc.). If the cadaver is for research, submit a description of the research and how the specimen will be used.
    • Submit the Curriculum Vitae of the individual who will be teaching the course (include the individual's qualifications for teaching a human anatomy dissection course). Note: In order to be approved by the State Anatomical Board to direct an anatomy course using human cadavers, the Board strongly recommends the individual has a Ph.D. or other professional degree in the Biological Sciences and have successfully completed a graduate level human anatomy course with cadaver dissection.
  3. The Board reserves the right to physically inspect the designated facilities.
  4. Human bodies cannot be bought or sold; however, a fee is charged for the use of a human cadaver and is established by the Oklahoma State Anatomical Board at its semi-annual meetings. The requesting institution or individual is responsible for the transportation cost to and from the storage facility. The mode of transportation to be approved by a Board representative.