Sharing the pulse of surgery

For many, the image of an operating room feels distant: the sterile lights, masked faces and the steady rhythm of machines. They see it as a space designed for procedures, not for people. Yet this overlooks the pulse of the humans behind the masks: the humor, the trust and the shared commitment to healing. 

The University of Louisville’s Pulse of Surgery program, in partnership with the Kentucky Science Center, is redefining how young people experience medicine. This initiative transforms a working operating room at UofL Health – Jewish Hospital into a live, interactive classroom. Through a real-time broadcast of heart surgery, students in grades 6-12 can witness the precision, coordination and compassion required to perform life-saving procedures all while engaging with the surgical team.

During the broadcast, students have the ability to ask any questions imaginable from a naturally curious young mind. What they quickly learn is that surgery is never just a solo act. At any given time, there are at least 10 different medical professionals present in an operating room. This gives students much-needed exposure to the various possibilities within health care, while emphasizing that the success of a surgery doesn't rely solely on the surgeon. Instead, it is a team effort involving physician assistants (PAs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), scrub techs and many other specialists. The program highlights that excellence in cardiac care depends on collaboration, reinforcing that every role in the operating room matters. 

For Mark Slaughter, professor and chair of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and Director of the Heart Transplant and Medical Assist Device at UofL Health – Jewish Hospital, the program is deeply personal. “When I was in college, I stood inside an operating room and watched a pediatric heart operation. That experience is what helped me change my mind from a career in engineering to medicine.” He emphasizes that Pulse of Surgery is the modern-day equivalent of that experience, with a broader impact due to the wide audience that advanced technology allows the program to reach.

That impact is already being realized; Slaughter has met several medical students and an ICU nurse who trace their careers back to a Pulse of Surgery broadcast. For others, the experience offers reassurance. Students who have had a loved one undergo heart surgery gain a new understanding of the level of care and expertise of the surgical team, easing the fear of the unknown.

In many ways, the Pulse of Surgery showcases not only the science of cardiac surgery, but the heart behind the profession; the mentorship, storytelling and shared human experience that shape the future of medicine. Each person in the operating room shares their personal journey into health care, ensuring that students can see the possibility of their own future roles.

“The future of health care is in the audience,” Slaughter said. “If we can inspire them to pursue their dream and offer them opportunities to be a part of the future, then the impact that day will have incredible dividends in the future.”