Threefold mission

In the 21st century, the purpose of an autopsy is vast, but can be broken down into three general categories:

1. Better understanding of the disease process for the family — depending on the findings of the autopsy, genetic counseling and further testing may be necessary for the family members of the deceased.

2. Continued education of the medical community about the patient and the concepts of the general disease — medical education can be enhanced for medical students, residents, pathologists and various teams of physicians.

3. Research is also strengthened by access to tissue for ongoing projects. The tissue of the deceased can help answer questions being asked by the medical community at Vanderbilt, nationally and internationally.