'It sinks in that this was a living being'

Caylee O'Leary, who graduated from Wits University with bachelor's degrees in medicine and surgery, now works at Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto. She is in the third week of her two-year internship.

"In the six-year degree, we worked with a cadaver only in our second year.

"It's a very important component of understanding the body. Textbooks alone do not give a complete understanding of anatomy. Cadavers give an unforgettable hands-on experience of all angles of the body. Nothing can compare to that."

She said five students worked on a single cadaver - two dissected while the others guided the process.

"At my first dissection, we were taken to the hall where all the cadavers lay on tables, covered in white sheets. A respectful ceremony takes place in which we thank the silent teachers for their contribution to our training."

Underneath the sheet on O'Leary's worktable lay the corpse of an elderly woman.

"It soon sinks in that this was once a living being and you begin to truly appreciate the opportunity.

"She donated her body to educate those who will be treating the living in the future."

O'Leary said the dissected tissue was preserved for burial "at which time the students once again thank them for their contribution to their education".