March 14, 2025 — Teachers. Parents. Grandparents. Though their lives and professions differed, they were all united to achieve one goal: to help the next generation of doctors receive hands-on experience in the lab by donating their bodies to science.

On March 3, second-year medical students from the University of Florida gathered in Wilmot Botanical Gardens to plant a camellia tree as a physical reminder of their hard work in their anatomy labs and the lives of the donors who brought them together through science in the classroom.

M.D. Class of 2027 co-president Austin Edwards said the donated bodies serve as the seed from which their education and future medical practice will grow, symbolized by the tree. He called on his fellow students and those who will come after them to appreciate the sacrifice made for their learning and future patient care.

“It’s an absolute privilege and an honor to be able to learn from these people who are willing to sacrifice themselves, donate themselves for our education, for the sake of people in the future,” Edwards said. 

The idea to plant the tree originated from actions of former students, and a line of trees planted by graduated classes can be found in the gardens. Camellias, known as the “empress of winter,” flower from October to December.

“Just as they herald the change of seasons, our plant represents our change from the preclinical to clinical curriculum,” said Karen Sem, the sustainability co-chair for the M.D. Class of 2027. “And just as the camellia cannot bloom without soil, water and care, we would not be able to make this transition without the gift given by our anatomy lab donors.”

The practice of planting trees in honor of donors had paused for a few years before a medical student came upon the row of camellias during a walk in Wilmot Botanical Gardens, eager to bring back the tradition.

Donated by former UF College of Medicine Dean C. Craig Tisher, M.D., the camellia tree for the Class of 2027 was planted in line with those of classes past — a blooming timeline of all the students’ hard work, knowledge gained and the lives honored. 

At the beginning of the year, the anatomy lab students received letters from the loved ones of donors. For the Class of 2027, one particular letter resonated with all of them: A granddaughter’s letter told the story of her grandmother, a lifelong school teacher. 

Medical student Julia Garcia said she connected strongly with the letter as the daughter of a teacher herself.

“That really stuck with me how she gave so much in her life, and then is continuing to teach, even after her death,” she said.

The experience bestowed upon these students was irreplaceable, and something they carry on with them through the rest of their academic journey and into the workforce. Karen Sem, sustainability co-chair for the class of 2027, capitalized on her experience with the cadavers in the lab to learn about human anatomy and the components of our bodies in a way she had never been provided before.

“It was quite wonderful to see,” she said. “The experience of learning and collaborating with others on something hands-on like this is very invaluable to me, and I think will help me a lot moving forward, not just in my future practice as a physician, but also as a human being.”

Sem’s classmate, Ryan Gamberino, echoed her sentiments.

“It’s been one of the most incredible experiences of my life, getting to see not only the anatomy that makes us up, but also the anatomy that made up this one very special person to me,” he said. “It was really meaningful to see inside of someone and understand how their body allowed them to live the life they led.”