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Investigating Animal Cruelty in Surgical Training at the University of Arizona
Just a few days ago, the Physicians Committee filed a state cruelty complaint against the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, where general surgery residents perform invasive procedures on live pigs before the animals are killed.
At the heart of this complaint is the Arizona Center for Endoscopic Surgery Residency Training Course. According to public records obtained by the Physicians Committee, residents in the course make “4 to 5 small incisions to reach the abdominal cavity” of live pigs and insert surgical instruments to remove the spleen and kidneys, cut the small intestine and then suture or staple it back together, and/or remove all or part of the rectum. But under Arizona’s animal cruelty laws, this violates a prohibition against “intentionally” inflicting “unnecessary physical injury.”
These procedures are neither necessary nor justifiable. In fact, 78% of general surgery residency programs in the United States and Canada use only human-relevant training methods. In total, 223 other surgery programs—including the Mayo Clinic Phoenix, Midwestern University at Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa, and even U of A’s other general surgery residency in Phoenix—use such methods. In addition, surgery programs at Harvard Medical School, Stanford University, and Yale University have replaced animals with human-relevant training methods like simulators—devices that can bleed, breathe, replicate internal organs, and even “die.”
These simulators offer significant advantages over animals. Simulators can replicate blood flow, breathing, and even the sensation of tissue resistance, allowing residents to practice procedures repeatedly in a controlled, risk-free environment. This hands-on experience helps trainees develop surgical skills and gain the confidence needed for real-world medical procedures.
In contrast, pigs have major anatomical differences compared to humans, including differences in their body size and shape, internal organs, airway, skin thickness, and they even have a corkscrew-shaped gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, training on pigs can result in misunderstandings about human anatomy and lead to errors.
By using pigs for surgical training, U of A is not only inflicting unnecessary harm on animals but also missing an opportunity to embrace more effective teaching methods. The university already has a medical simulation center that could replace animals immediately.
Along with the complaint, the Physicians Committee has posted three billboards around Tucson, using the city’s nickname to declare, “The Old Pueblo Deserves New Medicine / Arizona: Stop Killing Animals to ‘Train’ Doctors.”
In the complaint, the Physicians Committee asked Tucson’s City Prosecutor to investigate U of A and impose corrective measures and penalties where appropriate. This case is an opportunity to hold an institution accountable for animal cruelty and improve medical care for Arizonans. Also, if the Tucson campus agrees to change its practices, Better Piggies Rescue in Phoenix has stated it will partner with the Physicians Committee to provide lifelong care for any animals slated to be used.
To support this effort, please contact U of A leaders today.
