GRAHAM MEYER
Internship Experience at Greenville Memorial Hospital Morgue
My Experience
My full PPE during autopsies.
It is safe to say that the semester I spent working at Greenville Memorial Hospital's morgue was the craziest, most eye-opening, and reaffirming experience of my entire life. I had the privilege to work in a space that so little people get to see in their lifetime. I feel very honored to have received the opportunity to learn about the human body in such an in-depth and raw manner.
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As an intern, my main role was the removal of the brain from each case. This task, although daunting at first, became like second nature with much practice. The guidance of the forensic pathologists and two autopsy technicians paved the path for my success in this role. Along with my duties related to the actual autopsy process, I also assisted with the preparation of bodies for both full autopsies and external exams. This entailed collecting their personal items, drawing fluids, cleaning the bodies, and much more. Please see my internship powerpoint below to learn more about my internship site and my roles there.
My Roles:
Please see my internship powerpoint above for more detail on my duties as an intern.
Brain Removal
As in intern, I removed the brains from every case requiring a full autopsy. This process included cutting the scalp, sawing the skull, and removing the brain, pituitary gland, and dura with precision.
Body and Room Preparation
Both the autopsy room and the bodies themselves had to be prepped for each autopsy. I assisted the techs in the preparation process by setting out the necessary supplies, helping prep the bodies, and assisting with external exams.
Morgue Cleaning
Maintaining a clean and neat autopsy room is essential to the function of the morgue. I was responsible for both cleaning in between autopsies and deep cleaning the entire autopsy room once all cases were completed for the day.
Overall, my experience at the morgue confirmed my passion for learning about the complexities of the human body. I am so grateful to have gained such insightful knowledge into the anatomy and physiology of so many aspects of the body. This experience confirmed my desire to pursue a career in vascular sonography, and I am very excited to see how I can apply the knowledge I learned in the morgue to my profession.