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Cadaver labs are a rarity at undergraduate institutions. Opportunities for students to actively participate in cadaver dissection are even more uncommon.

Not so at Dordt. Nearly a decade after its introduction, the cadaver lab has become a distinctive feature of its pre-health programs, giving students hands-on experience that many won’t encounter until graduate school.

“Many places use pre-dissected specimens where undergraduate students look but don’t touch,” says Dr. Tony Jelsma, professor of biology. “Here, our students do the dissection themselves. That’s where the real learning happens.”

“This allows students to begin developing their surgical skills, understand how to handle tools and tissue, and feel the complexity of the structures of the human body,” adds Dr. Brette Feldhacker, assistant professor of biology. “Occasionally we get the opportunity to discuss or simulate certain procedures such as joint injections or laceration repairs.”

That experience primarily serves pre-health students—those preparing for careers in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, and other fields. Bethany Kobes, a junior biology major who plans to attend medical school, is one such student. She appreciates being able to apply the in-class content to hands-on work with the cadaver.

“Often, we attend a lecture and learn about a system of the body; right after, we dissect that part of the cadaver and see how everything connected, reinforcing our knowledge,” she says. “I remember seeing the individual muscle fibers for the first time and realizing that I had been picturing everything differently. The cadaver helped me to understand how different parts all worked together.”

Kobes says her experience working with cadavers is unique compared to what her friends at other universities have had. “I already have a strong foundation and the experience of dissecting real cadavers. I hope this will help with my transition to medical school so that I can build upon the knowledge I already have, rather than learning everything for the first time.”

“Most pre-health students will do dissections in their professional programs, so having this skill benefits them,” adds Jelsma.

But the impact of the cadaver lab goes beyond technical skill. For many students, the first encounter is unforgettable.

“You may get a queasy feeling when you first see a cadaver,” Jelsma says. “And I tell students, ‘That’s good, because you need to remember this is a person.’”

That perspective shapes everything that happens in the lab. Students are reminded that each donor made a deliberate choice—often a sacrificial one—to give their body for the sake of learning.

“The way you honor them is to learn all you can from them,” he says.

Over time, students begin to see not just anatomy, but humanity. A set of lungs reveals years of smoke exposure. A foot, altered by surgery and long-term strain, tells the story of a life lived in discomfort. Even small details—a trace of green nail polish, an unexpected condition like a hiatal hernia that went unreported, or evidence of past surgeries—become reminders that each donor had a full, complex life.

This mindset aligns naturally with Dordt’s Reformed Christian perspective. While Jelsma is quick to note that respect and dignity should be present in any setting, he believes Dordt’s approach reinforces a deeper truth. “Everyone is unique—not just on the outside, but on the inside as well,” he says. “Each person is created in the image of God.”

During lecture and in the lab, Feldhacker intentionally draws students’ attention to the “amazing form in which we are made in God’s image.”

“We often discuss complex physiological processes taking place in our bodies, intricate details in the structure of our bones, ligaments, nerves, and more. We pause to appreciate that God designed each and every one of these complex, sophisticated parts of our body,” she says. “Being able to see God’s design firsthand in the cadaver lab is a unique experience for the anatomy students.”

In the end, the cadaver lab teaches anatomy, and it also teaches careful observation, humility, and judgment—skills essential for future healthcare professionals.

“Science isn’t as black and white as we sometimes think,” Jelsma says. “There’s interpretation. There’s discernment. And that’s something students develop here.”