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! 

New for 2021-22! 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 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! 2021-22 Dates and Procedures

November 9, 2021           Lap Inguinal

November 16, 2021         Sleeve Gastrectomy

November 18, 2021         Cholecystectomy

November 30, 2021         Hysterectomy

December 14, 2021         Sleeve Gastrectomy

December 16, 2021         Cholecystectomy

January 11, 2022             Lap Inguinal

January 18, 2022             Hysterectomy

January 26, 2022            Sleeve Gastrectomy

January 27, 2022             Cholecystectomy

February 15, 2022           Sleeve Gastrectomy

March 1, 2022                  Hysterectomy

March 3, 2022                  Cholecystectomy

March 9, 2022                   Lap Inguinal

March 23, 2022                Sleeve Gastrectomy

March 24, 2022                Cholecystectomy

April 5, 2022                    Hysterectomy

July 12, 2022                   Sleeve Gastrectomy

July 13, 2022                    Lap Inguinal

August 11, 2022               Cholecystectomy

Please note: 

• 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. Groups must also follow the Whitaker Center’s health and safety procedures including the requirement for all students and adults to wear a mask inside Whitaker Center.
• 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

This program and many others are part of the