What are the educational benefits of an EMP?
One educational benefit of EMPs (as compared to the use of animals from Class B dealers or shelters) is that the donated animals are a catalyst for bringing case-based learning into the curriculum. At Tufts University, each anatomy lab group is provided a complete medical history of their animal, and is further expected to prepare a short presentation for the class on the animal’s medical condition. For example, if a dog suffered from intervertebral disc disease, the anatomy group could be asked to prepare a presentation on the anatomic basis of this disease. According to Tufts University’s Dr. Gary Patronek, the case records of animals used for anatomy dissection are “provided to the students to make anatomy and other basic sciences more clinically relevant.” Dr. Patronek further notes that Dr. Kumar, head of the anatomy program at Tufts, “believes that this personal touch makes the students more careful in their dissection since they realize they are learning on a pet that was once a
