SFCC’s science department knows where the bodies aren’t buried.

In building 28, tucked around a corner and behind a set of large steel doors, room 135A houses SFCC’s cadaver lab. The lab exists to provide students with real-world experience of the actual body’s anatomy. Each cadaver studied by SFCC is supplied by either the University of Washington or Washington State University. SFCC has one of two community college cadaver labs in Washington state, the other being Clark College in Vancouver, Washington.

The University of Washington and Washington State University are responsible for transporting all of the cadavers to SFCC. These can stay in the lab for up to two years.

“All of the bodies that are here have been donated by people who understood the importance of anatomical education,” said Anatomy and Physiology Instructor, Thayne Lacy. “Most of my students are dissecting geriatrics,” he added.

Although dissecting the deceased might be a touchy subject to some, but by the time the students reach Biology 241 they seem to be prepared to study cadavers.

“About 99.9% percent of students are excited, and have little or no problem, working on the bodies,” said Lacy.

Nursing student Bre Tolgyessy has utilized the lab for her own studies.

“I had no problem working on the cadavers,” she said.

SFCC’s cadavers are primarily dissected in the summer. The remaining quarters are primarily used for touch up and study.

“The digestive and muscular system were the most difficult to grasp because of the amount of information to take in from the systems,” said Aaron Baines, SFCC nursing student. “I had no idea how much the body did until I studied it.”

For more information about donating your body to science visit http://www.uwmedicine.org/education/about/willed-body-program & https://medicine.wsu.edu/give/willed-body-program/.