Jeffrey K. Seiple, MBA, LFD, LE, Director of Anatomical Labs and Services at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), who has been the driving force behind the Body Donor Program at PCOM Georgia, shares how the program has evolved throughout the years and how the College honors its donors at its annual memorial service.
Since I joined PCOM Georgia in May 2013, the Body Donor Program has significantly evolved. Back when I started, I knew that Georgia’s Anatomical Board had expired and that all medical colleges in Georgia were responsible for creating donorship programs on their own. Over the next few years, I coordinated lunch and learns to educate medical professionals and social workers in Georgia about the importance of why donorship matters and how important it is for medical education and research with the goal of building our own program by pre-registering people who want to donate to PCOM Georgia.
After getting the necessary budget, I expanded the program by hiring an additional staff member to assist with external outreach. Together we spoke to the Georgia community about our unique services, including that our program covers the cost of transportation and cremation services for all accepted donors, since many institutions do not provide that kind of assistance. This has been well received by the general public and by healthcare professionals throughout Georgia.
In comparing Georgia’s body donor program with PCOM in Philadelphia, The State of Pennsylvania established an anatomical board in 1883. Pennsylvania’s anatomical board has dramatically evolved into what is currently referred to as the Human Gifts Registry (HGR), which operates a full-time body donation program for Pennsylvania. Anyone wanting to donate their body to science in Pennsylvania must pre-register with the HGR ahead of time. Medical colleges are essentially set up by the HGR as “member schools” in Pennsylvania to receive donors for their medical and research cohorts. The HGR covers the transportation costs associated with transporting the donors to the medical colleges and the member colleges cover the cremation cost at the end of their educational cohorts.
First, an individual must register with the program and be at least 18 years old and of sound mind regardless whether in Pennsylvania or Georgia. To be accepted as a donor, we look at various intrinsic and extrinsic health factor criteria in addition to ensuring that all family members or next-of-kin are in agreement with the decision. In some cases, in Georgia, we will also ask for a copy of a donor’s Georgia Advance Directive and/or Durable Medical Power of Attorney agreement as a last measure of acceptance into the program.
How Do You Donate Your Body to Science?PCOM Georgia is part of a small collegiate network in Georgia that operates full-time, and provides 24/7 support and assistance for body donors and their families. Also, our relationship with nurses, social workers, and others in Georgia has contributed to the increase in our donor registry as well as “at need” donor acceptances. Our donors want to give back to society by contributing to medical education and research for current and future students at PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia.
Another key aspect of our body donor program is that everyone on my team is a licensed funeral director and embalmer. Social workers and registered nurses throughout the State of Georgia appreciate that and refer potential donor families to us because we are available anytime 24/7 to assist families who are wanting to donate to our program. Additionally, we process and file the accepted donor’s death certificate in their county of death.
People call us on a daily basis. In Georgia, we refer them to our website or mail them our donor documents. We have built a strong web presence and have received many referrals and excellent testimonials from families we’ve worked with. For donating in Pennsylvania, one would need to go to the HGR’s website and pre-register to become a donor.
Every year, we honor our donors by inviting their loved ones to attend a memorial service and breakfast on campus that is organized by my team and the first-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) class. This year, PCOM Georgia is projected to host 150 to 200 family members on campus for the annual service and will be live-streaming the event for those who cannot be on-site. Our service in Suwanee is always on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend, which I personally have found to be more meaningful and impactful. What’s especially exciting about this year is that PCOM South Georgia will be hosting its first donor memorial service with families of donors from the Moultrie area, demonstrating how much our donor program has grown across our Georgia footprint.
On the day of the memorial service, I begin by welcoming everyone and expressing my gratitude to the families and speak to the importance of honoring our donors and their positive contributions to medical education and research. There are a lot of heartfelt testimonials from students, faculty, staff, and the families. We also present our donors’ cremains back to their families during the service.
We have a melting pot of different faiths and backgrounds so we keep the service pretty neutral in tone. The service celebrates our diverse community and we are very careful not to bring too much symbolism into the event. One subtle detail is that we present a floral tribute to every child of a female donor in honor of Mother’s Day. This special touch really resonates positively with the families in a meaningful and appreciative way.
I work alongside Hannah Zepplin, Anatomical Coordinator for PCOM Georgia, and Jeremy Dickens, Anatomical Lab Coordinator at PCOM South Georgia, to personally call the families at three key moments throughout the process: to save the date, confirm attendance, and share event details. We find that the families appreciate this gesture. While our memorial service requires extensive planning and coordination, the reward of seeing it all come together is truly fulfilling.
Looking forward, I am now focused on strengthening our body donor program and continually increasing our registry of donors. This will greatly assist and contribute to the education of all future students that attend our colleges in Georgia for years to come.
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
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Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: joyde@pcom.edu
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