Body Donation Program

Donating your body to science is one of the greatest gifts one can give to make a lasting contribution to the education and training of our current and future health professionals and to advance science through research.

The Adelaide Medical School operates a central mortuary facility on behalf of the universities in South Australia for the acceptance of all bodies donated to science. It controls the transfer of anatomical resources to licensed schools of anatomy within the State and Commonwealth in support of teaching, training, scientific studies and research.

Historically, South Australians have been most generous in their support of our Body Donation Program and we consistently have one of the highest donation rates per capita in Australasia.

The opportunity to be able to dissect the human body is a privilege not available in many parts of the world and this is reflected through the quality of our graduates and the world-class training and research conducted within the universities in South Australia.

We have chosen to be as open and frank as possible in our answers and whilst you may find some of the information confronting, it is our responsibility to ensure that you understand what will happen when you donate. By law, the universities must ensure that your consent is fully informed.

Please take the time to read and understand the information and remember, if you do not understand any of the information or if you decide for any reason that body donation is not right for you, do not sign the consent forms.

Consent forms are available upon request from the Body Donation Office. Please send us an email and supply your name and address. The consent forms will be posted to you.

If you wish to send mail, please use the address below:

The University of Adelaide
Body Donation Program
Adelaide Medical School
Helen Mayo North
Frome Road
Adelaide SA 5005


Body Donation Program brochure

Please take the time to fully read and understand the the information in this brochure.

Body Donation Program brochure


The Annual Memorial and Dedication Service

The Annual Memorial and Dedication Service is organised by the University of Adelaide on behalf of South Australia's universities, to pay tribute to all those who have bequeathed their bodies to medical science.

Staff and students of the three universities take the opportunity to express their sincere appreciation of the role the donors and their families play in the advancement of medical science and in the training of our future health care workers.