Programs adopt simulation to improve consistency, safety, capacity, and ethics—often at a lower total cost once cadaver procurement, storage, and waste handling are included.
Simulation-based learning supports deliberate practice and standardized exposure to critical variants—no two cadavers are alike, but simulators can be. Syntheses of simulation-based medical education report gains in knowledge, skills, and transfer to clinical performance compared with traditional methods, especially when practice is structured and feedback-rich.
See references #1 and #3 for accessible program overviews and evidence summaries.
Modern animal and human-subject policies emphasize Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement (the 3Rs). Where valid alternatives exist, replacing live animals or reducing cadaver dependence is encouraged—both to minimize harm and to align with evolving regulatory and societal expectations.
See references #2 (NC3Rs) and #1 (AVMA overview).
Even when donors/families aren’t charged, schools and labs bear real costs for receiving, storing, preparing, using, and disposing of biological materials—plus compliance and staff time. Consider recurring line items:
Example: one university’s infectious waste pricing lists ~$1.21 per pound (before transport/containers), a recurring cost with each lab. See reference #4.
There remain objectives—especially complex anatomical variation, tactile pathology, or multi-system dissections—where cadavers offer unique value. A pragmatic approach blends models for core psychomotor skills and repetition with select cadaver labs for advanced integrative experience, reducing total specimens while maintaining curricular rigor.
Want a deeper, method-specific bibliography (e.g., suturing, airway, ultrasound)? We can compile a targeted list on request.