Systematic review of comparative studies examining alternatives to the harmful use of animals in biomedical education.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically review the published literature for controlled studies comparing learning outcomes of traditional methods that require the terminal use of animals (eg, dissection, live-animal surgery, and live-animal laboratory demonstrations) with outcomes obtained with alternative teaching methods.


METHODS
Systematic review.


METHODS
Controlled studies published between 1996 and 2004.


METHODS
PubMed was searched with the following keywords, used alone and in combination: educational alternatives, nonlethal teaching methods, veterinary alternatives, medical education, and nonterminal animal use. Cited references of retrieved reports were reviewed to identify additional reports. Reports were selected for review only if a comparison group was included.


RESULTS
17 studies that were randomized controlled trials or nonrandomized trials that included a comparison group were identified. Five involved veterinary students, 3 involved medical students, 6 involved university undergraduate students, and 3 involved high school biology students. Sample size ranged from 14 to 283 students. Eleven studies appeared to be randomized, parallel-group trials, 4 involved comparative groups to which participants were not randomly assigned or for which the randomization process was not clear, 1 was a 2-period crossover study, and 1 involved a retrospective review of grades. In all 17 studies reviewed, results associated with the alternative method of instruction were not significantly different from or superior to results associated with the conventional method.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the number of controlled studies identified was small, the results seem to support more widespread adoption of alternative teaching methods in biomedical education.
Patronek
Gary J
GJ
Center for Animals and Public Policy, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
Rauch
Annette
A
D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004520:Education, Veterinary / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013334:Students; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*