Knee surgery livestreamed 'direct from the OR' for Calgary high school students
While many Calgary high school students are used to video learning, a livestream lesson took it to a whole new level by showing a total knee replacement surgery live from start to finish.
Dozens of students from Grade 8 and higher observed the procedure from an auditorium at Telus Spark on Tuesday morning,
Joan Bruch volunteered to go under the knife, on camera, for the educational benefit of the students.
"I think it would be a great learning experience. I didn't have that experience when I was in high school, so I think it would be an amazing learning tool," said Bruch, who is in her 70s, speaking with CTV News the night before her surgery.
The operating room at Rockyview Hospital is equipped with cameras to capture the procedure from multiple angles for a select, invite-only audience, which also included various health care students.
"It's one thing for students to watch a surgery online or on a YouTube video but it's quite another thing to interact with the surgical team," said Dr. Jason Werle, chief of the section of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Calgary.
Students directed questions to the surgeon, anesthesiologist and surgical nurse during the operation.
"(It's a great opportunity) to introduce students to the science of surgery, biomedical engineering, meeting nursing, as well as introducing students to health care careers," said Werle.
HEALTH CARE CAREER INSIGHT
Telus Spark has hosted direct broadcasts of surgeries for high-schoolers several times a year since 2013.
"It's that amazing experience that they wouldn't get to see otherwise," said Jen Duffy, manager of youth programs at Telus Spark.
Many of the students say the experience has helped them think about life after high school.
"It was really cool. It felt very immersive and I loved how we got to ask live questions while they were doing it," said Hayden Leppert, a Grade 12 student at St. Francis High School.
"We got first-hand information from them about their job and what to do to get there," said Trey Soondarsingh, a Grade 12 student at All Saints High School.
Others say it has helped them weed out a potential career path.
"Now that I saw everything, I thought maybe this isn't for me. It's cool to watch, cool to learn, but I don't think I'd be able to handle it," said Taran Swinton, a classmate of Leppert's.
The surgery was completed on time without complications.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
EXCLUSIVE | Gay man taking Canadian government to court, says sperm donation restrictions make him feel like a 'second-class citizen'
A gay man is taking the federal government to court, challenging the constitutionality of a policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned.

Dominic Barton says he had nothing to do with federal contracts awarded to McKinsey
Dominic Barton, the former global managing director of McKinsey & Company, says he had no involvement in federal contracts awarded to the firm in recent years.
Australia is removing monarchy from its bank notes
Australia is removing the monarchy from its bank notes. The nation's new $5 bill will feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles III. But the king is still expected to appear on coins that currently bear the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Quebec's famed groundhog Fred la Marmotte has died; child stands in for Groundhog Day
The Quebec rodent who predicted whether spring would arrive early, Fred la Marmotte, died the day before Groundhog Day.
Quebec woman shocked to find stolen Audi driven through Ontario mall in 'insane' robbery
A Quebec woman said she was very surprised to find her stolen Audi had been used in what’s being described as an “absolutely insane” Ontario mall robbery.
Former CBC journalist dies after random attack on Toronto street, new suspect photo released
A long-time CBC radio producer who was the victim of a random assault in Toronto last week has died, the public broadcaster confirms.
New opera by Haitian-Canadian composer puts Black performers, stories in spotlight
When the opera 'La Flambeau' premieres next week in Montreal, Black performers will be front and centre in an artistic medium where they have historically been under-represented.
Militant who killed 101 at Pakistan mosque wore uniform
A suicide bomber who killed 101 people at a mosque in northwest Pakistan this week had disguised himself in a police uniform and did not raise suspicion among guards, the provincial police chief said on Thursday.
Ukrainian rescuers dig through rubble as Russia strikes civilian target
Top European Union officials arrived in Kyiv on Thursday for talks with Ukrainian officials as rescue crews dug through the rubble of an apartment building in eastern Ukraine struck by a Russian missile, killing at least three people and wounding about 20 others.