National Pathology Week: The Living Autopsy

This week is National Pathology Week which is the Royal College of Pathology’s (RCoP) annual celebration of pathology, which highlights the important contribution pathologists make to healthcare. Working in partnership with pathologists, laboratory scientists and schools across the UK, the RCoP programme of events and activities aims to engage people of all ages, and improve public awareness and understanding of how pathologists and scientists diagnose disease.

This year The King’s School hosted one of the RCoP’s most interesting and popular events – The Living Autopsy. It is a live audience-based event with one main pathologist presenter, Dr Natalie Meara, and a model playing a ‘dead body’.

The event highlighted the process of a post mortem examination, and involves showing the real instruments used during the procedure, as well as images that aid explanation.

The talk also explained the role of pathologists in hospitals, and what circumstances would lead to a post mortem being required for someone who has died. This core content has been enhanced with additional themes, stories and visuals to bring in historical or other factors that are relevant to post mortems, disease and careers in Pathology.

The event also included NHS staff talking about careers in Pathology prior to the talk and they held a variety of exhibits after the talk. This sold out event proved extremely popular and was a great opportunity for King’s students, many students from local schools, and members of the public to celebrate National Pathology Week.

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