Arranging for hundreds of students to observe a surgical procedure in an operating room isn’t feasible, so health and education officials are doing the next best thing: They’re bringing the surgery to the students.
On Dec. 17, about 500 high school students from across the tri-county will spend two or so hours watching a total hysterectomy, which was performed Nov. 17 by Dr. James Martin, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Trident Health System.
The procedure took place at Trident Medical Center and was done while two cameras recorded every move made by Martin and his surgical team.
Students from health science classes at each Dorchester District 2 high school will view the procedure at either Ashley Ridge High School or the Dorchester County Career and Technology Center.
With the cameras rolling Nov. 17, Martin performed the hysterectomy – the removal of a woman’s uterus – while explaining the technology he was using and providing step-by-step narration for each stage of the procedure.
For the surgery, Martin used the revolutionary “da Vinci” Surgical System – a form of robotic surgery in which the surgeon sits at a console near the operating table and manipulates a series of joysticks and foot pedals that control long robotic arms, which execute the surgeon’s every command with precise movements.
Students from as many as 18 high schools across the tri-county will watch the procedure from the comfort of classrooms via an Internet broadcast. Afterwards, Martin will answer the students’ questions via a live Webcast.
This is the seventh surgery broadcast to students through the Virtual Surgery Insider (VSI) Project, which was launched by the South Carolina Hospital Association five years ago thanks to a $170,000 grant from the state Department of Education and the state Department of Tourism. It’s the first VSI Project done in the tri-county, said Rachel Branham, assistant director for the S.C. Hospital Association’s Workforce Education & Recruitment Services. ?“We’re hoping this program will encourage students to choose health care as a career and to help build that pipeline into some of the (areas) in which we have shortages,” said Branham, who cited nursing and physical therapy among the areas in need of a larger workforce.
Martin, who has performed about 40 hysterectomies with the “da Vinci,” is excited to have the opportunity to take part in the VSI Project.
“I thought it would be very fulfilling to take part in this project and help educate some of our high school students,” Martin said. “I think there’s a lot of buzz with the ‘da Vinci’ because it’s relatively new and for the students to be able to see it in action just adds to their knowledge of the advances being made in medicine.”

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com