Surgery Live!

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

Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts and Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center created an innovative partnership designed to stimulate the interest of high school students for careers in health care. With the support of Highmark BlueShield, Surgery Live! at Whitaker Center connects students to the operating rooms of Hershey Medical Center through interactive high-definition videoconferencing 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 will be offering a Surgery Live! Extension Experience for students and educators.  This innovative program will occur in person after Surgery Live!  Students are required to take part in Surgery Live! to register for this experience.  The Innovative Experience is a 30-minute program in the PNC Innovation Studio and Kunkle Gallery. Students will be broken into groups of 20 to dive into hands-on, interactive activities to reinforce and enrich their knowledge from the procedure seen earlier that morning.  This new, exciting program is first-come, first- serve.  Based on registration, you will be placed into one of the following time slots for the experience - 11:30am-12:00pm, 12:15-12:45pm, 1:00-1:30pm.  When you complete your RSVP form, please respond if you are interested in adding the experience to your itinerary and Whitaker Center's Education Department will be in touch to schedule your participation.

Surgery Live! is now 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.

Admission Price                 

Price: $25.00 per person (for in person or virtual experience)

Innovation Experience: $10.00 per person

*Please note - All students and adults will need a ticket to the program.

Surgery Live! 2022-23 Dates and Procedures 

November 1 - Sleeve Gastrectomy

November 10 - Robotic Hysterectomy

November 15 - Sleeve Gastrectomy

December 6 - Sleeve Gastrectomy

December 8 - Robotic Cholecystectomy

December 13 - Sleeve Gastrectomy

January 12 - Robotic Hysterectomy

January 17 - Sleeve Gastrectomy

January 19 - Robotic Cholecystectomy

February 16 - Robotic Cholecystectomy

February 21 - Lap Inguinal

February 23 - Robotic Hysterectomy

March 9 - Robotic Hysterectomy

March 14 - Lap Inguinal

March 30 - Robotic Cholecystectomy

April 4 - Lap Inguinal

April 20 - Robotic Cholecystectomy

April 27 - Robotic Hysterectomy

Please note: 

• Due to the nature of surgery and a number of patient variables, the procedure may need to be altered or postponed. An educational experience or opportunity will be provided to the best of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Surgical Team and Whitaker Center Staff's abilities.
• Surgery Live! is reserved for student groups and is not offered to the public.
• Surgery Live! is only available to school groups of 10 or more.
• Due to the graphic nature of live surgery, students must be in grade 7 or above to attend.
• Each Surgery Live! program is scheduled from 9:00-11:30am. Due to the nature of live surgery, the actual session may end earlier or later than scheduled.
• If attending the program at Whitaker Center, the doors will open at 8:30 am at the 3rd St Entrance. 
• If attending the program via webinar software, you will need to be logged into the provided link by 8:50 am.
• Full payment is due at the time of booking. Refunds will not be issued for no-shows.
• Surgeries are subject to change based on surgeon availability.
• Please direct all questions or STEM Scholarships pricing inquiries to education@whitakercenter.org.

Surgery Live! is generously supported by Penn State Health and Highmark