Club Med has planned for its annual visit to the Medical Academic Center (MAC), located in the Indiana Spine Group building, after school on Nov. 25, according to co-president and senior Omeed Malek. During the visit, members will witness a live human cadaver – or corpse – being dissected, in order to learn more about the human anatomy. Those who attend must have a permission form with a parent’s signature.

Malek said viewing the cadaver dissections will help students see medicine in a different light.

“It helps them come to terms with medical life. Medicine is more than just physiology,” he said. “Medicine has to do with both life and death, and being able to see death maturely is an asset.”

However, he said seeing human cadavers may be shocking at first.

“Last year, someone fainted, and others had to sit down for a moment,” he said.

In fact, Club Med sponsor Sarah Gillim said it is not uncommon for students to feel queasy or have to step back. However, she said this trip is usually very enjoyable for the students and for her.

“It’s a very unique opportunity to see an actual dissection. Second of all, they provide experienced surgeons to go over the dissections with us,” she said. “It’s an opportunity students will not get again if they’re not going to medical school.”

Gillim said every time she visits, she still learns something new.

“They have knee joints and an arthroscopic device, and I really enjoyed that since I had never seen one before,” she said.

Malek said this year’s trip will also be different for him.

“For the first time, I’ll be excited to see the interest and fascination in other students’ faces,” Malek said.