worried about dissection

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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!

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not likely you'll get a substitution. consider it the learning experience that it is.

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OP - I too have a lot of the same views regarding dissection as you. When I took A&P I was freaking out about it! I took A&P 1 at one school and 2 at another. In the first school they used cats and sheep brains for instruction. There was no dissecting as that was specifically for A&P 2 but we still had to label and pin. When I asked if I could substitute, draw a pic or do a report, I was told I had to decide if being an RN was really worth it to me. So...I sucked it up and dealt with it. So people covered the area they were not working on with paper towels. IDK seemed to help for them! The school I took 2 at used models instead of actual animals. I must say that using the cats was a far greater learning experience than the plastic models. I guess you just need to decide if it is worth it to you. Good luck!

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Specializes in Primary Care; Child Advocacy; Child Abuse; ED.
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!
There is no way! At least not at my school. This is a learning tool and maybe you can approach it that way. Maybe learn as much as you can for the cat that has loss his/her life reguardless of whether you took this class or not. Some of the students in my class did not want to do this either but imagine how much your class would cost if you used cadavers. There are similarities you must see to understand the human body. It is interesting and no I didn't want to dissect the cat but I wouldn't have learn what I needed without this. Plus quizzes and test questions were on the cat it would be unfair for students to not all have to take the same test. I wish you luck, the cats are not there the whole class (hope that helps!)
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When I was in high school, we dissected cats. We also got a lecture about the importance of spaying and neutering and respecting the animals we dissect. I'm vegan but I am pretty sure I can separate learning from my own personal consumption. Most vegans I know try to do the best they can in terms of what they eat and what they use/wear/etc but you can't always be 100%.

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Specializes in CNA/LPN.

[color=#2f4f4f]i second what everyone has said, once i transfer for my rn, it will be inevitable and will have to be done, no matter how much i dread it. from what i've seen, there is no way to get around it. i've read on it a lot from other students and if it helps even in the least, they said that it did not even look like a cat and that you wouldn't associate it too strongly with your pet fluffy. maybe you can team up with a lab partner that wouldn't mind doing the dissection and you just participate in others way.

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I'm going to have to do this in lab this semester. I was told there would be a cat and I think a cows eye! I'm trying to warm up to the idea by looking through my lab book at a rats dissection. It's amazing how their organs are so similar to ours even in shape. Good luck to you, just imagine all the other fun things we will have to do as a nurse!!! You can do it!!

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

When I learned A&P we dissected cadavers, not animals. I don't understand why there would be a moral delima with dissecting an animal but if there is would it include dissecting dead people? You might be able to find an A&P class that uses cadavers instead.

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We didn't dissect cats, but did do a lot of organs from various animals. All of ours were fresh tissue from butcher shops, not from science supply companies, which made me feel better about it. You should ask the profs or department about it, but they will probably require the labs, as they are really strong learning tools. You have to remember that despite your moral objection to the use of animals in this way, the knowledge gained from the experience and the service you can provide to others as a nurse will have a profound effect on many people.

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When I learned A&P we dissected cadavers, not animals. I don't understand why there would be a moral delima with dissecting an animal but if there is would it include dissecting dead people? You might be able to find an A&P class that uses cadavers instead.

I must say I would have loved your lab. I think it would provide a much more valuable teaching tool to "practice" and familiarize ourselves with methods on an actual person.

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Im actually taking a Cadaver Dissection class this semester, as kind of an extension of anatomy! im stoked i start Tomorrow!

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Your professors didn't just choose to do this because they're mean or heartless. It really is a useful learning tool. After studying anatomy all semester it made so much sense to see the real organs and systems.

Everyone in my class dreaded it but after we all agreed it was the best prep we'd had so far for becoming healthcare workers.

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