A sound knowledge of human anatomy is the foundation of medical training. Students who have the opportunity to perform detailed examination of human bodies post mortem learn faster and gain special insight into the anatomical relationships of organs, muscles and bones.

This knowledge helps students to become better health professionals and contributes directly to developing a high standard of medical care for our community. We are very grateful to members of the public who generously donate their bodies, organs and tissues to the Medical School. You can donate in a number of ways.

Organ / tissue donation after surgery

Organs and tissue donated after surgery are an important teaching resource for the Medical School program. Donated organs and tissue form a collection, housed in the Surgical Specimen Teaching Museum at The Canberra Hospital, which is used to teach anatomy and pathology to medical students and for the further education of ACT Health nurses and trainee doctors.

Organ / tissue donation after death

If you or your family members are interested in making a contribution but do not wish to donate your body, or that of your loved one, you may elect to donate specific organs to the Surgical Specimen Teaching Museum. In this case, the body is transported to The Canberra Hospital by a funeral director, where the specified organs are removed. The body is then returned for the funeral service. No transportation costs are incurred by the donor’s family.

Body donations after death

We consider body donations from locations within a 200km radius of ANU Acton campus.

For further information or for returning completed donation forms please contact the Research & Body Donation Coordinator (ANU Medical School), Florey Building, 54 Mills Road, The Australian National University, Acton ACT 2601

Please email bodydonation@anu.edu.au for all enquires and we will endeavour to answer as soon as possible.