U-M (Michigan) to end use of dogs in surgeon training course

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit Free Press

U-M to end use of dogs in surgeon training course
BY MEGHA SATYANARAYANA • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • FEBRUARY 26, 2009


The University of Michigan Health System announced today that it would end a controversial practice of using healthy dogs from animal shelters in teaching surgeons trauma lifesaving skills.

With the announcement, U-M becomes the last medical system in the state to end the practice of performing tracheotomies and other lifesaving techniques on dogs purchased from animal sellers who took them from shelters in rural counties. The Free Press first reported on U-M’s practice in January.

A university statement said that after consideration of simulation options, the Health System’s Graduate Medical Education Committee decided it would use simulators only in the Advanced Trauma and Life Support class, taught by Dr. Richard Burney. Burney had defended the use of animals over simulators, saying that animals were a more realistic training tool.

“All we really wanted them to do is look at it objectively and make a decision -- other universities have done that,” said Dr. John Pippin, senior medical and research adviser for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which filed a complaint against the university with the U.S. Department of Agriculture against Burney and the program. "We’re especially pleased that the message is so clear."

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20090226/NEWS06/90226091/U-M+to+end+use+of+dogs+in+surgeon+training+course

[rpannier]

1. About time

I guess it's better late than never...except for the healthy dogs that burney used.

[Dr.Phool]

2. Besides, Bill Frist has some cats left over.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

3. It's about time

[barb162]

4. It's way past time. Good. n/t

[XemaSab]

5. How macabre

I could justify using surgeons in training to do neutering, spaying, and so forth as "practice" if there was a supervising vet and the animals were okay afterwards, but using them as garbage?

No way.

[jmowreader]

6. They don't need to anymore

We have to do SOMETHING with all those surplus Republicans, and this is as good as anything.

[damntexdem]

7. Oh, great! UM won't them to when it teaches 'surgical lifesaving skills.'

More concern for dogs than for human lives.

[Scout]

9. you obviously don't have a clue about this ... .did you even bother

to read the article posted?

there is NO NEED to use live dogs, when they have human simulators that are better.

[bmbmd]

10. I read the article. The decision was made to use

simulators in ATLS courses-not general surgery training. ATLS is a taken by experienced physicians and providers, and is not a part of standard medical education. I bet dogs are still used in surgery training.

[Mari333]

11. if george bush and a dog were in a burning house

Id save the dog in a heartbeat.

[Doremus]

12. The more I know people, the better I like my dogs.

Apparently you didn't read the article. It said there are simulators that are BETTER than using dogs. Canine anatomy is not the same as humans.

[Scout]

8. about damn time....

there have been quite a few good letters expressing outrage at this practice, from former and current students at UM med school, in the Ann Arbor News lately.