Surgery Live!

Watch professionals perform surgical procedures. In real life. In real-time.

Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts and UPMC created an innovative partnership designed to stimulate the interest of high school students for careers in health care. With the support of UPMC Pinnacle Foundation, Surgery Live! at Whitaker Center connects students to the operating rooms of UPMC through interactive high-definition video conferencing technology.

A facilitator guides the students’ discussion with operating room staff, demonstrates surgical instruments used in the operation, and explains factors that cause disease and contribute to conditions that place patients on the operating table. The program then transitions live to the operating room where students see and hear the surgical teams.  The surgeon explains each step of the procedures and the students can ask questions during the program. No experience compares to this interactive, live program!

Whitaker Center also offers an Extension Experience for students and educators that attend Surgery Live! in person. This innovative program occurs directly following the procedure. Students are required to take part in Surgery Live! to register for this experience. The experience is a 30-minute program in the PNC Innovation Zone and DeSoto Lounge. Students are divided into groups of 20 to dive into hands-on, interactive activities that reinforce and enrich their knowledge from the procedure seen earlier that morning. This exciting program is first-come, first-serve.

Surgery Live! is also offered virtually! Upon registration, you will be asked if you plan to travel to Whitaker Center’s Select Medical Digital Cinema or take advantage of this exciting program from your classroom through webinar software. Both options will provide all the components of the Surgery Live! Experience.