Surgeons
At a given instant everything the surgeon knows suddenly becomes important to the solution of the problem. You can't do it an hour later, or tomorrow. Nor can you go to the library and look it up - John W Kirlin
image by: Biomedical Engineering & Physics
HWN Recommends
I am a surgeon: Therefore I think
If you can’t do this drunk, you shouldn’t be doing it at all.” The eminent professor was speaking to a friend of mine about heart surgery. He was not advocating Operating Under the Influence, nor am I.
The point is that the technical component of surgery--the cutting, the sewing, the rearranging--is pretty easy. It is true that in the OR, as on the golf course, some are more gifted than others, some more experienced. But almost anyone can get through an operation or a round of golf, given training and equipment necessary to the act.
In more than ten years as surgical faculty, I worked with only one resident whom I considered technically hopeless, and he proved me…
Resources
What Are Surgeons Listening to While You're Under the Knife?
While you're getting sliced open, disassembled, and put back together again, the music playing during that chaos is probably the least of your concerns. Although years of training goes into being a surgeon, a human life is always on the line and there’s that looming chance for something to go awry, however slight. That’s why most surgeons listen to music in the operating room, to create a comfortable environment.
A Vital Measure: Your Surgeon’s Skill
To the researchers’ surprise, there were huge variations in operative skill between the practicing surgeons, with the lowest ranked surgeons working at what the reviewers considered a level only slightly better than a trainee at the end of residency, and the highest-ranking surgeons working like “masters” in their field.
How I Bring Magic Back To My Life As A Surgeon
It’s a magical time for me, contrasting dramatically with my world as CEO. For several hours each day, my focus is not on millions of Kaiser Permanente members—or, for that matter, on all the complexities of healthcare policy, politics and strategy—but, rather, on a single patient at a time.
Should Surgeons Keep Score?
#### Which surgeon you get matters — a lot. But how do we know who the good ones are?
Surgeons Who Burn the Midnight Oil
While research has shown that most errors and complications are rooted in multiple factors, only one — fatigue stemming from work performed at night — has inspired the kind of widespread debate that results in policy changes. But one specialty has held out. Transplant surgeons continue to work at all hours, the timing of their operations determined by the time of death of the donor and the viability of the organs to be transplanted.
The Costs Of Banning Simultaneous Surgery
The way surgeons have been allowed to treat patients and train future surgeons is in jeopardy.
What’s the Best Way to Deal With Sleep-Deprived Surgeons?
No one disagrees that sleep deprivation hurts physicians’ performance. The question is what to do about it.
Why ‘Useless’ Surgery Is Still Popular
Before a drug can be marketed, it has to go through rigorous testing to show it is safe and effective. Surgery, though, is different. The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate surgical procedures. So what happens when an operation is subjected to and fails the ultimate test — a clinical trial in which patients are randomly assigned to have it or not? The expectation is that medical practice will change if an operation turns out not to help. If only.
I am a surgeon: Therefore I think
Realization and validation of our ideas require technical capacity, and the greatest satisfaction results from a solution properly conceived and executed. There is no feeling like it: doing without thinking and its converse are equally sterile.
Inside Surgery
Authored by L. “Skip” Marcucci, MD, a board-certified general surgeon, trauma surgeon, and critical care physician. Selected as one of the 10 best surgery sites on the web by the Wall Street Journal.
Outpatient Surgery
Outpatient Surgery Magazine serves as a meetingplace and a marketplace for decisionmakers in facilities where ambulatory surgery is done. The magazine facilitates the exchange of ideas, advice, experiences and information between surgical facility management team members.
School of Surgery
Audio and video podcasts aimed at medical students and doctors in training on a growing range of topics across surgery.
Surgical-Tutor
This site contains educational material aimed at those preparing for undergraduate and postgraduate surgical examinations. It includes clinical tutorials, a journal club, multiple choice questions, revision notes, slide library, discussion group and more.
Vesalius
The Internet Resource for Surgical Education. Our mission at Vesalius is to carry the pioneering tradition established by Vesalius and Leonardo into the 21st century, by creating a state-of-the-art, Internet-based resource for surgical education.
Better Health
Dr. Val Jones has experience in plastic and pediatric surgery and runs this blog with a variety of medical contributors. Posts are contributed from across the nation and include everything from common problems to mysterious. You can also get a ton of health related information - Surgical Technician Schools.
DoctorsLounge
DoctorsLounge is one of the most popular online medical resources for physicians, students and allied clinical professionals. It provides clinical information about surgery through multimedia tutorials and other study aids.
MDLinx
MDLinx Surgery is your ultimate resource for the latest General Surgery and subspecialty surgery news articles published in over 2,000 peer-reviewed medical journals and popular press. Our diligent team of medical editor’s rank sort and summarize Surgery news articles with topics ranging from: Cardiac Surgery, Critical Care, Vascular, Thoracic, Peds Surgery, Neurosurgery and much more.
MedPage Today
Surgery Information Center from MedPage Today is the only service for physicians that provides a clinical perspective on the breaking medical news that their patients are reading.
Introducing Stitches!
Your Path to Meaningful Connections in the World of Health and Medicine
Connect, Collaborate, and Engage!
Coming Soon - Stitches, the innovative chat app from the creators of HWN. Join meaningful conversations on health and medical topics. Share text, images, and videos seamlessly. Connect directly within HWN's topic pages and articles.