Medical school may not be enough to equip transplant physicians and surgeons to be tops at their profession. A course or two in religion might be in order too-knowledge of the religious tradition of the families and patients with whom the physician is dealing can only help to facilitate their relationship.
While most religions support organ donation, it can't hurt to be armed with more specific information about the beliefs of various religious groups.
Using information supplied by the American Council on Transplantation, the San Diego Source (www.sddt.com/reports/kidney/religion.html) has published a summary of the beliefs representing the following groups/faiths: Amish, Baptists, Buddhism, Catholicism, Church of Christ, Christian Scientist, Episcopalian, Greek Orthodox, Gypsies, Hinduism, Independent Conservative Evangelical, Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, Judaism, Lutheran, Mormon, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, and United Methodist.
An older list that contains information on the beliefs of several other faiths is posted at www.sos.state.il.us/depts/drivers/programs/donor/religion.html
Please be aware that medical advice, diagnoses and physician references cannot be obtained from this site.