A report by Scotland's HM Inspector of Anatomy has warned of a "serious problem" in sourcing enough cadavers for medical students, particularly at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, as demand for anatomy courses outstrips supply. Professor Gordon Findlater told Scottish ministers that rising medical student numbers, driven by government intake targets, are straining the body donor programme, even though it continues to function well overall. The issue matters because hands-on cadaveric dissection is considered essential training for future surgeons and doctors, and a shortfall could affect the quality of medical education across Scotland's five medical schools.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, only 308 bodies were accepted by Scottish anatomy departments, nine fewer than the previous year, against an estimated 6,761 enrolled medical students. The Scottish Government had previously raised the annual intake of medical places from 848 to 1,417, a target unchanged for the coming year, while the BMA's Joe Payne noted a 72 per cent rise in student numbers since 2015 that he said was undermining sustainability. Universities including Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow were inspected, with the RCSEd and the Scottish Government both praising body donors and stressing efforts to manage demand and support anatomy departments.