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donutzebra

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I'm planning to apply to medical school during the next application cycle (matriculation in 2018), and I was wondering whether it could possibly hurt my chances to include one of my activities involving animal experimentation.

During the summer after my freshman year of college, I observed experimentation on pigs in a physician-scientist's lab, and I'm pretty sure most of those pigs died.

It was definitely a worthwhile experience, but it won't be included in one of my most "memorable" activities. I'm a bit worried about the possibility that some, for instance hardcore PETA members on admission committees, might be disgusted by it.

I was wondering if it would be a good idea to include this in my medical school application (any ideas about the risk-benefit ratio?).

Thanks for your help!

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Animal experimentation is pretty common in biology. It's part of the process of biomedical science.

Thanks! Yeah, I've done research involving mice and my senior thesis used fruit flies, but I was wondering if people placed more "sentimental value" on pigs.
 
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I'm sure whatever was done on the pigs was approved by the institution's IACUC and fully within the bounds of acceptable research. The adcoms will be well-aware of animal experimentation in research, don't worry.
 
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hardcore PETA members on admission committees
This is...probably not a thing.

Don't worry. Label your experience how you wish. Nothing will seem out of sorts to people involved in the biological sciences.
 
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i mean, unless if you don't submit something like, "I spent the summer cutting off the heads of pigs," it shouldn't matter. Killing animals is pretty much one of the most important duties of a animal researcher.
 
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