“We will be dissecting fetal pigs in the biology class tomorrow,” shared my teenage daughter.

 

“Are you going to opt out? You are not even considering the medical field.”

 

“The pig is already dead. In fact, it never even had a shot at life. Those who participate will get extra credit.  I am desperate for extra credit.”  

 

The following day, my daughter came home and reported that the AP Biology class were dissecting in the adjacent room and their specimen were cats.

  

Is there educational value in dissecting cats in a high school biology class? About 200 parents from a NYC suburb shared their perspective on this practice. There were no respondents who disagreed with animal dissections as a training tool for future surgeons and veterinarians. The debate revolved around the setting (High School), the audience (students taking Honors and AP Biology who may be interested in medical careers), and the type of animal (cats).

 

Before presenting the results of this quick and crude survey, I want to make one personal remark. Ethics is an important component of training future doctors and scientists. Although ethics is a human construct which is constantly changing, it helps frame what we are aspiring to be as a society. The current direction of travel in medical research is to Refine, Reduce and Replace animal models with suitable alternatives, whenever possible. I urge high school science departments to reassess some well-established practices given the evolution of ethical values and potential alternatives.

 

 

This is OK – 127 votes

 

“High schools have been doing that for decades”

“This is normal in biology class”

“I graduated from THS in 2015. I'm not going into science, but it was a rewarding experience to dissect a pig”

“These specimens are not pets”

“High school is not too soon to find out if medicine is right for you”

“Science”

“This is a great dissection, loved it”

“It's a way to learn more complex anatomy”

“I have advanced certificates and training in robotic surgery and sometimes I need to drop the robot and rely on my hands and anatomy training to save a life”

“These are the students that are most likely interested in medicine, veterinary, chemistry, and the sciences”

“There is no substitute for dissection to learn anatomy”

“AP Bio is a college level course. A certain maturity and an interest in science are needed to fully take advantage of the curriculum”

“Feral cats are a big issue for the birdwatching community”

 

 This is Not OK – 56 votes

 

“As a physician in my training I never had to dissect cats”

“I am a veterinarian. I am not in support of this. There are lots of alternatives”

“Many of the labs that supply these animals to schools, at least when I looked into in my more activist days, were cruel”

“I am a physician, and I can’t imagine any reason why high school students need to dissect what is to many a beloved household pet. When they get to medical school, they will have the opportunity to dissect human cadavers, once inhabited by generous soul…”

“My daughter is a medical student and doing great without ever having to dissect a cat or a frog”

“The best way to find out if medical/nursing schools are for you is to become an EMT and then volunteer at your local squad. You will be exposed to human pain, see if you can handle it”

“Rats and frogs – yes, not pets”

“There are other more suitable subjects than an animal that is typically kept as a pet”

“Many high schools have presented alternatives to real dissections including very sophisticated 3D anatomy models”

“Dissection (in HS) is dangerous, unethical, and unnecessary”

“Formaldehyde exposure increases cancer risk”

“Domestic cats are not a suitable subject for high school students to dissect”

“There are other ways to learn about anatomy and physiology with mock cadavers/virtual models… however would it be any better if it was a frog? still an animal”

“This seems a little cruel to the kids”

“All over the world there are alternatives to this. It's cruel and does not really aid knowledge”

 

Depends – 9 votes

 

“We need to figure out who’s interested in being a doctor”

“I could have lived without it for sure, but it was most definitely a surreal way to learn”

“I don’t know what the current alternatives are in 2022. Hands-on learning can be meaningful”

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