A survey of the use of live animals, cadavers, inanimate models, and computers in teaching veterinary surgery.

A questionnaire, designed to gather information regarding the use of live animals, cadavers, inanimate models, and other innovative methods to teach veterinary surgery, was mailed to individuals in the surgery sections of all 31 veterinary schools in the United States and Canada. Of the 31 questionnaires mailed, 27 (87%) were completed and returned. Mean number of total, general, small-animal, and large-animal surgery laboratory sessions were 22, 5.9, 11, and 7.4, respectively. At 7 of 26 (27%) schools, animals were euthanatized prior to recovery from anesthesia in all teaching laboratories; in 18 schools (69%), small animals were euthanatized prior to recovery from anesthesia. In 4 (20%) of the 20 schools that offer large-animal laboratory courses, large animals were euthanatized prior to recovery from anesthesia. In 24 schools (88%), cadavers, models, or both were used in at least 1 laboratory session in their surgery training program. Models were used most frequently to teach suturing, knot typing, and hemostasis. Plastic bones were used in 8 (30%) schools to teach fracture repair. In several schools, models were used to teach other general psychomotor skills, and at several schools, models were available for sale to other teaching institutions. At 16 (59%) of the 27 veterinary schools, some type of program has been developed with local humane societies. At 13 (81%) of the 16 schools with such a program, small animals were euthanatized prior to recovery from anesthesia in their traditional laboratories. At 10 (37%) of the schools, some process was used to evaluate students in the laboratory, and at 5 (19%), course evaluations were completed by students taking the laboratory.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)