Editorial

Autopsy—The Lost Opportunity

Authors: Ronald C. Hamdy, MD, FRCP, FACP, Editor-in-Chief

Abstract

Mortui vivos docent, “the dead teach the living.” The body of medical knowledge has expanded tremendously through painstaking autopsies performed by meticulous pathologists under the keen eye of clinicians eager to determine the cause of death and verify the accuracy of their diagnostic skills. Many clinicians have been humbled at one time or another to learn that their diagnosis was incorrect. Yet, it is an enriching experience to learn that a particular physical sign, or series of signs, could point to a different diagnosis than the one presumed. Attending autopsies was an integral part of undergraduate medical education and many clinicians routinely observed autopsies to confirm or refute their diagnosis. 1

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