Kentucky Students To Watch Live Surgery

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 03/18/09
##AUTHORSPLIT##<--->

Science class is taking on a new twist for some Kentucky high school students. Students from 20 high schools as well as community colleges will have the chance to watch a live surgery being performed at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital via teleconferencing technology March 18.

"We want to excite young people who wish to pursue health careers by using technology to bring them into the operating room so they can witness a live surgery, and interact with the surgeon during the procedure," said Rob Sprang, director of U Kentucky's Kentucky TeleCare program.

The doctor in charge of the surgery, Scott Roth, an associate professor of surgery and director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery program in the university's College of Medicine, has chosen a case that will take about an hour. He will perform a minimally invasive, or "keyhole" surgery, using an endoscope (a lighted tube with a magnifying camera, inserted through small incisions). This type of surgery now accounts for a significant percent of all operations, ranging from gall bladder surgery (the most common) to heart bypasses. This process reduces the risk of infection and is better tolerated by patients. The students will be addressed by Roth and will be able to see and hear what he's doing during the procedure.

"This is an opportunity for students from different parts of the state to interact with each other on a similar interest," said Carlos Marin, health careers coordinator, at U Kentucky's Area Health Education Center.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • abstract interconnected AI neural networks merging into a single central hub

    OpenAI to Consolidate AI Models with GPT-5 Launch

    OpenAI has canceled plans to release its o3 model, opting instead for a "simplified" product lineup centered on its upcoming GPT-5 product.

  • a professional worker in business casual attire interacting with a large screen displaying a generative AI interface in a modern office

    Study Finds Generative AI Could Inhibit Critical Thinking

    A new study on how knowledge workers engage in critical thinking found that workers with higher confidence in generative AI technology tend to employ less critical thinking to AI-generated outputs than workers with higher confidence in personal skills.

  • teacher

    6 Policy Recommendations for Adopting AI in the Classroom

    The Southern Regional Education Board's Commission on AI in Education has published six recommendations on adopting artificial intelligence in schools, colleges, and universities. The guidance marks the commission's first release since it was established last February, with more recommendations planned in the coming year.

  • group of elementary school students designing video games on computers in a modern classroom with a teacher, depicted in a geometric and abstract style

    Using Video Game Design to Teach Literacy Skills

    The Max Schoenfeld School, a public school in the Bronx serving one of the poorest communities in the nation, is taking an innovative approach to improving student literacy.