Bernal-García Martha & Quemba Mesa Monica
Learning human anatomy through interaction with donated or deceased human bodies and anatomical specimens impacts students' beliefs about the body after death and the ritual and spiritual significance of the whole body. It provides spiritual, moral, religious, ethical, emotional, physical, and social experiences, from which their impressions and actions arise, leading them to develop positive or negative attitudes. Therefore, the objective of this review was to present available information on the spiritual conceptions and perceptions of medical and other health science students when learning human anatomy with these bodies. Methodologically, a scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines to ensure consistency and reliability. A search and identification strategy was applied in four databases, in English and Spanish, using MeSH terms and Boolean connectors. Qualitative and mixed-methods studies published between 2012 and 2023 were included if they met the eligibility criteria, while studies that did not align with the PCC elements of the research question were excluded. From 181 initial records, 19 studies were selected. Data extraction and characterization was performed using a JBI template, followed by a descriptive analysis that identified two representative emerging themes: the first on students' spiritual conceptions and the second of spiritual perceptions about anatomy learning experiences with those bodies. These findings highlight the need for future qualitative research and other approaches to deepen the understanding of the results of this review.
KEY WORDS: Spiritual perceptions; Human anatomy; Education; Religion; Medical students; Health sciences students; Scoping review.
BERNAL-GARCÍA, M. & QUEMBA MESA, M. Spiritual conceptions and perceptions of medical students and other health sciences students regarding learning of human anatomy with donated or deceased human bodies: A scoping review. Int. J. Morphol., 44(4):1098-1113, 2026.
