Animal dissections are not the most effective learning experiences. Repetition is essential to absorbing concepts, but with dissections, repetition of exercises is not possible. Dissections also can be distracting to a sizable portion of the class. For many students, dissecting an animal is very upsetting, and all students are disturbed by the experience in one way or another. Learning is difficult under these conditions. Furthermore, talented students who otherwise might have pursued their studies in the life sciences might choose other paths because of perceptions that the use of animals is an inexplicable part of medicine and biology.

Furthermore, animal dissections at the undergraduate level are not in any way essential to the education of physicians. Many undergraduate science students do not pursue a career in medicine, and those who do go on to medical school do not need to know the "feel" of animal tissues or the techniques of cutting into animal tissues. Most of those students who do attend medical school will have the option of learning various disciplines and procedures without participating in animal laboratories, as only four of 126 schools mandate such participation. In many cases, animal laboratories are not even part of a medical schoolÕs regular curriculum. According to a recent survey by the Association of American Medical Colleges, nearly a quarter of American medical schools do not offer animal laboratory exercises for medical students. Of those departments responding to a 1988 survey published in the Journal of Medical Education, 44 of 93 physiology departments, 83 or 110 pharmacology departments, and 66 or 81 surgery departments at medical schools did not use animals in their regular curricula. Numerous qualified physicians have been trained without attending animal laboratories.

Similarly, those pursuing a career in scientific research need not be exposed to animal laboratories at the undergraduate level. A great portion of scientific research involves epidemiological and clinical studies, in vitro research, and computer modeling, no animal experimentation.

Additional time spent using traditional methods, such as reading and lecture, can easily replace animal dissections. High quality supplementary teaching methods are also available in abundance, including computer simulations, films, and models. Some of these methods are enumerated in the handbook Alternatives in Biology Education. If faculty members determine that it is important to expose students to the insides of organisms, field trips to hospitals and medical school cadaver laboratories could be arranged.

Call the Dissection Hotline, which is sponsored by the National Anti-Vivisection Society at (800) 922-FROG. You may also wish to read Vivisection and Dissection in the Classroom: A guide to Conscientious Objection by Gary L. Francione and Anna El Charlton (801 Old York Road-Suite 204, Jenkintown, PA 19046: The American Anti-Vivisection Society, 1992).

MEDICAL SCHOOL CURRICULA WITH NO LIVE ANIMAL LABORATORIES