If you want to study medicine do you have to examine dead bodies ?

Yes: Gross anatomy still involves a lab wherein you have the privilege of dissecting a human body. It is still a very good way to learn anatomy, and is essential to knowing where things are.

Absolutely: Medicine is a lifetime commitment to humankind. You'll need to learn a great deal in a great many different ways. Do you learn your way around town from studying a map, or from driving around? You learn anatomy from a body. Would you want a surgeon to go directly to the living? Would you respect a physician who requests an autopsy but never saw one? You know the answer. Follow your dream.

Yes: Yes, but the bodies have usually been preserved with formaldehyde so you can study them for a long period of time. Freshly deceased bodies are reserved for the autopsy dissection area as well as the medical examiners laboratory.

Generally yes: Examining dead bodies is essential to learning about human structure and pathology. In theory, one could learn about structure, anatomy, through virtual dissection, however, if you concerned about examining dead bodies, how do you feel about examining living, sick, unclean, smelly bodies with ulcers. Medicine requires compassion, tolerance and empathy.