To err is ...Surgeon!

My post graduate students frequently squabble with me regarding the 'chances' they get to operate.Ours is a teaching hospital and I perpetually encourage discussions and learning.Though teaching is a part of my profession I have always considered myself an eternal student.Surgical skills are largely obtained by constant practice at surgery, but we have to understand that it is not the only way of learning to cut.I like to teach my students the required surgical skills and also the lessons surgery teaches us with respect to life.

Surgery, as far as I'm concerned has two important things(which are not covered in textbooks), the skills concerned with it and the confidence one develops to do such surgeries, but before doing that a surgeon has to be sure of what he is trying to do and how and why he is doing it(which will be given in various textbooks).

As you can expect,the part which is learnt from textbooks is the easier part(mind you, its not the easiest part!), and the part which cannot be be learnt from books is the more challenging part.But as a surgeon becomes more experienced and as he matures, I believe a third aspect of his life emerges which is the toughest part to learn.This part, quite surprisingly, is the part where the surgeon learns to value the life of the patient being operated.Very often, it is said that the concrete step in becoming a surgeon is when the person appreciates 'when NOT to operate on a patient'!. Absolutely true.

Only when a surgeon develops the third component is he considered an efficient surgeon. Fortunately and unfortunately this skill comes into the individual only with experience.Fortunately because it gives great benefits (more than anything else, monumental satisfaction and peace of mind and not to neglect the increase in patient numbers and monetary gains) as one learns this and unfortunately because it might be ages when one acquires this and the person may not be in a position to reap the benefits at that age!

The question which arises immediately is 'how do we acquire this ability more quickly?' or 'how do we acquire experience swiftly?', for the time gained is what makes the huge difference.

The answer lies in learning from others mistakes!,it may sound quite simple or ordinary, which it is, but unfortunately I have found out that this is the most neglected issue among we surgeons.We dont quite appreciate the wrongs done by our colleagues! Be wary that it could take much longer time to achieve success than what you think.

To err is human ...and as surgeons are humans too(breaking news!) all surgeons commit mistakes by default.Well, thats the good news. The better news is that we can always learn from somebody else's bad surgery and the best news is that there is nothing to come off worse and everything to gain from it.

Happy learning!