As a double ‘Hoo I want to thank you for shining light on the outdated and heinous practice of live animal intubation as training in the University’s Pediatric residency program. (“Cruel to be kind? Student questions use of cats for endotracheal intubation practice,” 10/10/2012). Kudos to the first-year Pediatrics residents who refused to use cats this year in their training, and instead opted to be trained by simulators. Ninety-eight percent of medical schools train their housestaff with simulators, including most of the top Pediatrics residency programs in the country.
I am disappointed that the Medical School administration was/remains unwilling to end the use of animals in its training programs since the simulators already available at the Medical School could sufficiently meet the needs for training in endotracheal intubation for pediatric and premature infant patients. I am proud of this class of Pediatrics residents who stood up for what they believed, refusing the moral and ethical burden of needlessly harming animals. I learned much from my teachers at the University; it’s time for the Medical School administration to learn from its interns.
Sonia Rapaport
_CLAS ‘83
MED ‘91_
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