Animal Skills Labs

[PabsMD]

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How common are animal skills labs (using pigs, dogs, etc.) in EM residency programs?

My med school (no EM residency here) uses teaching mannequins for training students in central line placement, intubation, etc. so I'm wondering if some residency programs are still using "live tissue" labs for training.

 

[USAF MD '05]

We did a live tissue pig lab once a month in my program. Also ferret lab as interns to help with pedi intubations, and a fresh tissue cadaver lab as seniors. We also simulate pedi major recusc. every Monday and Tuesday on the manniquens. (Just the oncoming team.)

 

[southerndoc]

I think most programs are moving to simulation mannequins.

 

[Old_Mil]

How common are animal skills labs (using pigs, dogs, etc.) in EM residency programs?

My med school (no EM residency here) uses teaching mannequins for training students in central line placement, intubation, etc. so I'm wondering if some residency programs are still using "live tissue" labs for training.

Good information to know...

 

[uncwalley]

But can sim labs really do a good job simulating thoracotomy or repairs of penetrating cardiac injuries? We have a sim lab, but we do a pig lab at least once a year as well.

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

I did an away rotation at a military program that had monthly skills labs on both cadavers and pigs.

 

[Koko]

We have a pig lab for several procedures and we do a ferret lab for pedi airway, but that is about to be canned after objections from PETA. We also do cadaver labs and sim ctr for multiple procedures/learning.

 

[deleted109597]

Pig and ferret labs here.

 

[medivac]

UNC has a strong sim program, as well as twice yearly pig labs. Sims are great, but there is no sim that will quite mimic actual tissue for chest tubes/thoracotomies/pericardial procedures

 

[Kasey]

I just find out that tOSU does live dog and pig labs. Frankly, I wouldn't participate in a live dog lab (I'm a serious softy when it comes to dogs).

Does anyone know what other places still use live dog labs? And is this a question I can ask residencies during interviews without getting on anyone's bad side?

 

[lucky_deadman]

Pig labs 1-2 times a year.

We do a ton of sim lab work, but some things just need to be on real tissue.

 

[Old_Mil]

I just find out that tOSU does live dog and pig labs. Frankly, I wouldn't participate in a live dog lab (I'm a serious softy when it comes to dogs).

Can't say I blame you, I wouldn't either.

Anywhere else with a dog lab that we should know about?

 

[DocFrog]

I'm having a hard enough time convincing my residency to let me organize a trach/cric lab using deer and pig heads....

 

[tkim]

We have cadaver labs once a year. I wouldn't participate in a live dog lab. Can't do it.

 

[ER-ER-Oh]

MSU Lansing does pig and/or dog lab twice a year. You drive in a back way into an unmarked building so PETA doesn't throw paint on you.

 

[roja]

We use sim manequins here. Residency had dog labs but I couldn't do it.


Regarding the question 'can you get the same 'feel' as when you do manequins vs animals', I would say that nothing is going to be like performing it on a real person. Unless you plan to work on animals, its not going to be like the real thing either.

One of my residents had to do a cric with me. Afterwards, she took a deep breath and said "that was nothing like dog lab."

 

[Tiger26]

Did a live dog lab the first year of medical school--definitely one of the best experiences we had the first two years . . .

 

[ER-ER-Oh]

I did a cric 2nd year residency, and have done 2 since July when I became an attending. The dog/pig labs twice a year, I feel, beat the mannequin stuff by far, far, far. I had absolutely no problems in any of the real things, and the feel of cutting through real tissue, with real blood getting in your field, was essential in helping me keep cool. Of course, after you've done 3 or 4 it doesn't matter any more anyway.