High School Students Watch and Discuss Baby Delivery and C-Section

Salt Lake City — More than 350 high school students from 15 different Utah schools recently had the opportunity of watching and discussing babies being born, while speaking live over closed circuit TV with the doctors involved in the deliveries. The program, concurrently hosted at eight school locations throughout Utah, was held on Thursday, April 23.

The event was part of the Virtual Healthcare Interactive (VHi) program, which is a joint effort between Intermountain Healthcare and the Utah State Office of Education to provide real-time medical experiences to Utah students interested in health-related careers. The students watched two types of deliveries, taped at Intermountain’s McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, while linked via television and audio to an OB/GYN and neonatologist.

The VHi program allows students interested in medical careers to watch pre-taped surgeries or medical procedures and speak live with the physician who performed the procedure. This was the tenth time Intermountain Healthcare has partnered with the Utah State Office of Education on this project.  Students who apply to participate are focused on health sciences studies and careers.

The purpose of the VHi program is to expose high school students to the range of professions, jobs and work responsibilities, along with the education and training required in the health field. Through the use of video and the live audio link, students are able to witness first-hand what their future career might be like, and ask their own questions to a physician.