Yale Anatomical Donation for Medical Study

Thank you for your interest in the Yale Body Donation Program. Such incredible gifts are key to learning for our students, trainees, and faculty. Yale School of Medicine will accept your remains as an unrestricted gift for the purpose of medical education and research.

We further invite you and/or your family to write and share a narrative with the students about yourself. At your discretion, this may include information about childhood/upbringing, work/professional life, family, hobbies, health, and/or motivations for becoming a donor in our program. Note the information will be edited to maintain anonymity and privacy.

Bodies are transported from the place of death to Yale School of Medicine. Remains will be preserved and saved for students, trainees, and faculty to learn from your body. When that is complete these remains will be taken to the Evergreen Cemetery for cremation. These ashes will be made available to your family or buried in a Yale School of Medicine plot at the Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven as you prefer. Note that all these steps are without cost to your estate or family. Typically, the cycle is from six months to two years.

Please read the Document of Gift Forms, list of restrictions, and discuss with your family. We understand the magnitude of this decision and your gift. We are grateful as are those who will learn from your body.

Please contact us with any questions, concerns or thoughts.

Yale School of Medicine, Department of Surgery Human Anatomy Program
300 Cedar Street, P.O. Box 208062, New Haven, CT 06520-8062
(203) 785-2813