Clementine Davis' interest in becoming a surgeon has been further sparked by watching a sheep dissection performed by Dr Scott Raleigh at the House of Science yesterday. Photo / George Novak
Clementine Davis' interest in becoming a surgeon has been further sparked by watching a sheep dissection performed by Dr Scott Raleigh at the House of Science yesterday. Photo / George Novak
Getting the chance to see a sheep being dissected would be stomach-churning to many people but after the initial shock wore off a group of Bay students just couldn't look away.
The three-hour dissection of the farm ewe took place at the University of Waikato's coastal marine field station atSulphur Point yesterday.
Twenty-three students from seven local colleges got the chance to watch Dr Scott Raleigh, the owner of Barkes Corner Vet Hospital, perform the dissection of the donated ewe.
During the hands-on lecture and dissection Dr Raleigh opened up the sheep's four stomachs, liver, small intestines, reproductive organs and also cut away the brain from its skull
Dr Raleigh said he was rapt by the students' interest.
Image 1 of 4: House of Science holds educational sheep dissection for students. Photo / George Novak
"There is always going to be a small percentage who aren't interested or can't handle it but the aim is to help stimulate the students' interest in the sciences, and I hope today has done that," he said.
Year 13 Mount Maunganui College student Clementine Davis, 17, said: "It was a little bit shocking and especially gruesome at first but once I got over my initial shock it wasn't too bad. I found it really fascinating and I have learnt a lot. I want to be a surgeon and next year I will be attending Auckland University."
