Thomas scrubbed in as a Doc For a Day!

The event was live-tweeted by @Swedish, using the hashtag #SwedishDoc4Day.

About the event:

Dr. Glenn Barnhart and the team at the Swedish Heart & Vascular Institute in Seattle invited 15 members of the public (including students) to become a “Heart Surgeons for a Day”!

Randomly selected individuals spent time learning about the heart and its key parts. These individuals got to see how Swedish surgeons are using the latest technology to prevent, diagnose, and treat heart disease.

As part of the event, participants:

• Received their own Swedish medical scrubs, just like a surgeon
• Examined a human heart and video footage from a live surgery
• Participated in interactive demonstrations using surgical tools such as the da Vinci robot.
• Received a behind-the-scenes tour of the Swedish Heart and Vascular Institute
• At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Barnhart and other cardiologists and cardiac surgeons hosted a lunch session to answer questions and provide more hands-on time with surgical tools and technology.

“Heart Surgeon for a Day” Tentative Schedule of Events:

9:30 AM: Scrub up with your new pair of medical scrubs
9:45AM: Breakfast and meet and greet with other participants and physicians
10 AM: Welcome
10:10 AM: Watch part of a heart surgery and prepare for hands-on demonstrations and exercises
10:30: Take part in an interactive session with all the tools and technology of cardiac surgery, including the opportunity to see a human heart.
11:30 AM: Guided behind-the-scenes tour
12:15 PM: Lunch and Q&A session
12:45-1:00 PM: Event conclusion, with additional time for hands-on demonstrations

Needless to say it was an experience Thomas will never forget; incredible!