Procedures

Procedures and costs may vary depending on where death occurs and whether or not private funeral directors are involved. No casket is required for transportation to this University if death occurs in or near Rochester. If transportation is by common carrier from a distant location, all regulations for proper containment must be met. All arrangements for transportation and associated expense incurred are the responsibility of your survivors or estate.

• When death occurs at a local hospital or nursing home within Monroe County, the University of Rochester Medical Center funeral director will arrange transport of the body to the Medical School at no cost to the family. The Medical Center funeral director will file the death certificate with the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Monroe County. Your family may need to obtain copies from the Monroe County Department of Health for legal purposes. See Obtaining Copies of the Death Certificate for details.
• When death occurs at a private residence or place other than a hospital or nursing home, your family should arrange for your body to be transported by a private funeral director to the Medical School. Your family or estate is responsible for the charges of a private funeral director for the transportation and associated costs. We require one photo copy of the original death certificate and a Burial/Transit Permit.
• When death occurs outside Monroe County, your donation is still welcomed, but the expense of transporting your body to Rochester will be the responsibility of your survivors or your estate. The transporting funeral director must deliver a photo copy of the original death certificate and a Burial/Transit Permit to the Medical Center funeral director.
• If death occurs while on vacation or at a distant location, your family may:
  • Contact your home town funeral director or a local funeral director and have your body transported back to the University of Rochester Medical Center. All expense incurred would be assumed by your family or estate.
  • Or, to lessen the cost, they may wish to contact the nearest medical school where the death occurred. We have reciprocal agreements with most other medical schools throughout the United States and Canada. Final acceptance by another medical school, of course, is contingent upon their policy regarding gifts and donations. You should make your wishes known to you family in this case this situation should occur.
• If you move outside New York State, you may wish to consider making a new donation to a medical school in your new locality. Once you have been pre-registered in their program, send us a letter revoking your donation here. Similar programs exist throughout the United States and Canada.