Dissection: An International Perspective
While dissection is a common practice in U.S. classrooms, the approach to animal dissection varies widely across the globe, with many educational systems moving toward more humane and ethical practices. For example, many countries—including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Argentina, Slovak Republic, Israel, and India—no longer conduct dissection exercises.
We recently spoke with Keerthana Rajesh, a high school student from Bangalore, India, to gain her perspective on what it was like to be educated in a system that didn’t rely on dissection.
“We mainly learned from scientific illustrations and simulations. In testing, there was also a great emphasis on visualizations and being able to draw organs accurately to understand spatial arrangement… I haven’t been adversely affected by the lack of animal dissection in learning.”
India first implemented partial dissection bans in high schools and certain university courses in 2011. Since then, this ban has expanded to include medical and veterinary colleges, with dissection only allowed at certain times and solely with cadavers.
Student Research and the 3Rs
Rather than restrict student learning, India’s biological education system is on the rise. They are currently ranked 8th in the world for research output in the natural sciences and show signs of rapid growth.
Keerthana is an excellent example of her country’s promising future as a leader in the field of biology and medicine. This past year she dedicated herself to studying the oral side effects of radiation treatment and the wound healing properties of a natural treatment. Her project earned her recognition, as she was selected to compete as a finalist at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, and was one of five students who took home a Humane Science Award from NAVS.
Keerthana studied under the International Baccalaureate (IB), a globally renowned program often compared in rigor to the AP system used in the United States. A key component of the IB program is its emphasis on the 3Rs principle: the assertion that the use of animals should be replaced, reduced, and refined in science.
Keerthana took that mindset to heart when designing her research project, which used a cell-based model in testing instead of an animal model.
“In student research I think, at minimum, more restrictions should be imposed on using animals because it seems unnecessary to disregard animal lives and rights… Alternatives such as molecular, cellular, plant biology, and even in-silico models can be promoted in high school demographics to encourage rigorous, yet ethical research.”
Learning From the World
There is much to be learned by examining the education systems of the world’s emerging STEM leaders. By embracing humane education practices such as ending dissection and implementing the 3Rs principle in the classroom, educators prepare students to think critically about ethics, while achieving excellence in school. Whether through cell-based studies or virtual simulations, students such as Keerthana Rajesh are able to gain deep insights into biology as they prepare for their future scientific careers.
Perhaps it’s time for U.S. schools to take a page out of the global handbook.
