Service of Gratitude
Join Us
The UC Davis School of Medicine Class of 2030 warmly invites you to attend the 2027 Service of Gratitude.
The ceremony features speeches from students and faculty, accompanied by moving musical performances by our talented medical students. At the heart of the Service of Gratitude is a profound recognition of those who made the extraordinary decision to donate their bodies to medical education and research. Their final, selfless gift leaves a lasting legacy—shaping not only the knowledge but also the empathy and humanity of future physicians.
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Location: TBD
Duration: Approximately 1 hour to 1.5 hours
Each year, second-year medical students organize a Service of Gratitude to honor the individuals who generously donated their bodies to medical education and research. The service provides an opportunity for our University, students, and faculty to express their sincere gratitude to our donors and their families for the extraordinary gift they have given.
During the service, students share reflections, letters, poems, musical performances, and personal experiences about their time learning from their donors, who are often referred to as their first patient and teacher. Students reflect on what they learned from their donors and how those experiences will influence the physicians and healthcare professionals they will become.
Body donation also provides an important hidden curriculum that extends beyond what can be taught in a textbook. Through their experiences with their first patient and teacher, students learn compassion, empathy, dignity, respect, and the human side of medicine. These experiences help students recognize that caring for a patient involves more than understanding anatomy or treating disease; it also means recognizing the individual, their humanity, and the trust placed in those providing their care.
Families of donors who have passed away during the year preceding the service are formally invited to attend; however, all family members and friends of individuals who have donated to the program are warmly welcomed to participate each year.
The Service of Gratitude is an opportunity to recognize the lasting impact our donors have on the education and development of future healthcare professionals. Above all, it is our University’s way of expressing our deepest gratitude to our donors and their families for their generosity, trust, and the profound role they play in educating future generations of healthcare professionals.
Previous Years’ Student Displays and Family Memorial Setups:
Visit us on UC Davis School of Medicine Facebook
Donor Memorial Site
The UC Davis Body Donation Program memorial marker is located at Vanderhoef Lawn, across from the Center for Health and Technology on the UC Davis Health campus in Sacramento.
Directions to Vanderhoef Lawn, Sacramento, CA
The memorial marker was placed in October 2019 and offers families and friends a peaceful place to pay tribute to loved ones who have participated in the Body Donation Program.
From the South (Stockton): Follow Highway 99 or Interstate 5 to Business 80-Reno. Exit at T Street. Turn right on T Street and follow it across Alhambra Boulevard to reach Stockton Boulevard. Turn right on Stockton Boulevard. Turn left on X Street and follow the map for parking.
From the East (Placerville): Take Highway 50 to the Stockton Boulevard exit. Turn left on Stockton Boulevard. Turn left on X Street and follow the map for parking.
From the North (Redding/Reno): From Interstate 5, follow signs to Highway 50 East. Take the 34th Street exit and turn left on to 34th Street. Turn right on T Street and right again onto Stockton Boulevard. Turn left on X Street and follow the map for parking.