Perception of Undergraduate Medical Students on Medicolegal Autopsy Demonstrations as Teaching-Learning Medium in Second Professional MBBS Curriculum

Forensic Medicine is a part of the MBBS curriculum for Second Professional (3^rd to 5^th Semester) Exam. Learning of the concept & technique of postmortem examination is imparted to medical students during autopsy demonstrations. Every government medical officer/Registered Medical Practitioner is obliged to perform medico-legal autopsy, if the same is requisitioned of him by the police. Present study was undertaken to study the perception of UG medical students on educational outcome & suggested improvements on medicolegal autopsy demonstrations to the students. More than 75% students agreed that protocol of autopsy & standard operating procedures for mortuary were explained & learning objectives made clear, before being taken to mortuary. The teacher had briefed them regarding the case before starting autopsy & adequately demonstrated & emphasized the need to communicate skillfully with relatives of the deceased. The case was also discussed after completion of autopsy with respect to formulation of opinion; enough opportunity/encouragement was given to satisfy their queries & the teacher adequately emphasized on the necessity, purpose, protocol & procedure of viscera & other article preservation after autopsy and feedback was taken on the case after autopsy. However, 47% & 54% believed that adequate opportunity & exposure was available to observe/learn procedure of autopsy in mortuary & sufficient time given to the case to enable learning by the beginners, respectively. 87% participants in present study termed the level of hygiene & cleanliness in mortuary as poor. Students recognised the importance of autopsy demonstrations as a teaching learning method in MBBS curriculum.