worried about dissection

[Fruit Sucker]

I'm taking Anatomy & Physiology next semester, and I've heard people mention having to dissect cats in the lab.

I don't eat meat or dairy, for moral reasons, and I would have extreme difficulty dissecting an animal. Is it a definite that I'll be faced with doing this? And if so, is there a way to request a substitute assignment on moral grounds?

Please don't insult my beliefs, I just want to know what the academic situation is. Thanks!

[malaz]

Thanks for your reply! What kind of documentation did you bring?

Did you go to BMCC, or do you know anyone who went there recently? A friend who took A&P there a year or two ago said they didn't do any dissections, but I found a current syllabus online (who knows if it's accurate...) and it says dissection is required.

[Fruit Sucker]

Hm...I took my prereqs at Hostos, and I'll bet the course at BMCC will be similar.

Let me dig around in my email and see if I can find those documents. I'll get back to you.

[ThirdGen]

Hi veggienursenyc,

I, too, was worried about this when I was just starting Human Anatomy, except our cadavers were human, and there were three of them. What I did was ask the professor if a lab assistant could go with me into the cadaver lab, just to show me a body - before I had to do any dissecting. My goal was to take away the "shock factor" that comes with seeing the insides of a cadaver for the first time. If you make yourself do some version of this during a no-pressure time, like after class, with someone guiding you, it will really help. I was quite anxious around the cadavers for about the first three times I saw them; then, my fear evaporated. Just remember, these are remains, and there is no human suffering involved. I hope that this helps! You can do it. :)

[ThirdGen]

Also, I wanted to say how very fortunate I was to have the privilege to dissect/learn from human cadavers. The learning experience was absolutely invaluable, and I am very thankful.

Good luck with your studies. :)

[malaz]

Personally, I am not really concerned about human cadavers- they consented, after all! I'm not squeamish, I just don't want to dissect or experiment on animals who were farmed and / or killed for that purpose. If anyone has taken A&P I at BMCC in the last year or so, I would love information about what is involved in the labs and whether the profs allowed alternative simulations. Thanks so much!

[Fruit Sucker]

Hi Tall4. Thanks for your post, but I think you missed the point I was making. I don't have any emotional problem doing dissection, it doesn't gross me out or shock me. My problem is with doing animal dissection, because the animals are killed against their will and used for the dissection. Human cadavers are available because they have chosen to donate their bodies to science, and I have no problem dissecting a human cadaver. I am morally opposed to animal abuse, and that is where my problem with animal dissection lies.