How to Donate Body Parts to Science

Medical students learn their trade by practicing on donated bodies and body parts.

Do not confuse organ donation with donating body parts; there is a major difference. Medical professionals use the organs of brain dead patients with an organ donor notation on their driver's licenses to transplant into patients with life threatening disease. Opting to donate your body parts to science is completely different; when you pass away your body is taken into custody by a university's health center and your body parts are used for medical education and research so that future doctors can learn and practice on a real human body. Anyone can will their body to science with any university science center.

Instructions

1. Contact the science center of the university nearest your home -- willing your body to a medical center more than 50 miles from your home leaves your family members with the cost of transporting your body from your hometown to the university, something you probably do not want to put on their shoulders while they are already dealing with their loss.

2. Ask the science center for a willed body donor program application. You can pick this up in person, have it mailed to you or download it online if your university offers that option. Fill out the form completely; provide your name, date of birth, address and contact information.

3. Locate a notary public or two witnesses who are not immediate family members and are both over the age of 21 to witness your signature and provide theirs on your donor application form.

4. Return your application to your university's science center. You are officially a body donor and your body and its parts will be used for scientific and medical education and research upon your death.

Tips & Warnings

• Discuss this decision with your closest family members. Upon your death it becomes their responsibility to notify the university science center of your demise and, if necessary transport your body to the center themselves. They will not be able to use your body at your funeral, bury or cremate you.

• Upon your death, your body will not be accepted if you are obese, carrying any disease or your body was damaged in any way due to an accident.

References

• University of California San Francisco: Willed Body Program
• University of Arizona: Anatomical Donor Program
• Michigan State University: Willed Body Program