Pig Dissection Lab

        In the pig dissection lab, we explored the different organs and processes in the body of a fetal pig and connected them to how the human body functions. We asked the essential question of "how can we see the workings of the human body systems in the pig?"; in the dissection, we found organs of the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, urinary, reproductive, and endocrine systems. These included the trachea and esophagus in the pig's throat; the pig's pancreas, gallbladder, liver, stomach, and intestines; and endocrine glands like the thyroid gland and the spleen. Furthermore, we recorded (and I edited) a video highlighting and explaining various organs in the pig. Watch the video below or here.

        The most interesting part of the dissection was identifying the different organs, as it was surprising how good of a representative the pig was for a human body; also, it helped bring to life the concepts we learned in the vodcasts, such as seeing the path the food might go through inside the pig's digestive tract or observing the blood vessels that connect the heart to the different parts of the body.
        In addition, the dissection itself was a valuable experience, as it was quite a different and unique lab. The careful taking apart and cutting open of the pig was unlike any lab we had done before, and working with a once-living organism was an interesting experience, though it did not pose any major obstacles with me or my group members. Overall, it was an enjoyable and educational experience (that I might repeat if I take A&P or a similar course later on) and provided a new and much-needed perspective on the unit material.