Dissection: Support a Student's Right to Choose

[TantricSoul]

I am curious, for those who have said they have learned alot from disection:

What specific knowledge did you obtain by disecting an animal?
and how has that has been useful in your life?

[karley]

What specific knowledge did you obtain by disecting an animal?
and how has that has been useful in your life?

Disecting small animals (cats, fetal pigs etc) has helped me get a general idea of practical anatomy. For me it's all well and good to learn something from a book, but actually seeing and touching what you've been talking about is the best way to learn. As far as usefulness goes, I'm a pre-med major so disection has a two-fold purpose for me. As we continue disecting more and more complex animals it shows me that I will be able to handle myself when I go to disect a cadaver. It also builds a strong base of practical knowledge that I can draw on. Not everything will be the same, but seeing the similarities will be very beneficial.