Since 2004, Liberty Science Center’s Live From Surgery: Kidney Transplant program has inspired the next generation of healthcare professionals by connecting them with surgical teams in real-time through video teleconferencing technology. This March, Live From Surgery hit a major milestone, presenting the highest-attended program to date with 437 participants! Students filled up two of LSC’s theaters to watch this live procedure unfold, and many more observed virtually. This gave students an immersive opportunity to be introduced to the operating room team and gain insight to their critical roles during surgery.

Through a partnership with the Renal Transplant Division at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, Liberty Science Center’s program goes beyond just observing. During the live transplant procedures, surgeons discuss topics such as the need for organ donation, medical compliance, organ matching, life after transplant for donor and recipient, and pathways into healthcare careers. In addition, students have the opportunity to interact with surgical instruments used during the procedure, creating a powerful, hands-on connection to the experience.

Further enriching the experience of this program, LSC partnered with the NJ Sharing Network to include guest speakers, who were either an organ donor or recipient. Each speaker shared their personal story, deepening students’ understanding of both the science and the emotional impact of organ donation.

Live From Surgery programming is supported by Johnson & Johnson. In addition to Kidney Transplants, Liberty Science Center's Life From Surgery programming also includes Robotic Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, Neurosurgery, Heart Transplants, and Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery. Live from Surgery is a cornerstone of LSC's mission to inspire curiosity in the next generation by educating students about careers in medicine, highlighting the importance of organ donation, and deepening their understanding of physiology and the diseases that affect the body.

Interested in experiencing the inside of the operating room? Explore upcoming Live From Surgery programs: lsc.org/live-from-surgery