University of Virginia - Stop Using Live Cats To Train Medical Students
Bob Barker and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine are asking the University of Virginia to stop using three live cats as part of their intubation training technique for medical students in their pediatric residency program.
PCRM stated that 94 percent of the medical schools in the United States have replaced the use of live animals with high-tech simulators based on human anatomy. The technique UVA uses is considered "obsolete" and actually short-changes medical students.
The endotracheal intubation technique used by UVA instructs residents to force a plastic tube through the mouth and into the trachea of three cats. The procedure is painful and can cause bleeding and bruising.
The cats are subjected to the procedure over and over.
We the undersigned ask that the Pediatric Residency Program at the University of Virginia stop the use of live cats in the endotracheal intubation training of medical students.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and animal activist Bob Barker report that 94 percent of the medical schools in the country consider the use of live cats as obsolete and cruel. They have switched to high-tech simulators that are based on human anatomy and better train students.
UVA's intubation technique is painful to the cats and can cause injury and the fact that the animals are subjected to the procedure repeatedly is inhumane.
We urge you to consider this change for both the animals and your students. We too want pediatricians with the best training, who can save the lives of sick babies.
Thank you for taking time to read this letter.
