Medical school disciplines freshman for posing for pictures with skull specimen

A medical school in Changsha, Central China's Hunan province, has disciplined a freshman for posing with a human skull specimen used in anatomy education and posting the photos on social media, the school announced in a statement on Thursday.

The incident took place on Oct 14, following an anatomy lab class at the medical school of Changsha Social Work College, when the student photographed the skull of a body donor and shared the images on WeChat Moments, accompanied by disrespectful captions. The public responded negatively, and a high school classmate of the student reported the posts to the college.

In Chinese medical education, body donors are respectfully referred to as "silent teachers".

The school said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy for such behavior. The student has been reprimanded, received a disciplinary demerit, and has been disqualified from receiving annual awards and honors.

"Body donors are 'silent mentors' who have made selfless contributions. Reverence for life and compassion are the foundation of medical practice," the statement said, before pledging that the school would enhance its medical ethics education and tighten teaching management.