Debriefing after a major event is a key component in ongoing improvement in performance. Likewise, reflecting on one’s career at the time of leaving the operating room environment is an opportunity to transmit the lessons learned from decades of surgical practice. The authors, recently retired from daily operating and leaders in American surgery, reflect on the impact of surgical life on surgeons and their personal lives. Observations regarding selection of medical students, surgical trainees and practice models are presented from this perspective.
DimouFMEckelbargerDRiallTS. Surgeon burnout: A systematic review. J Am Coll Surg. 2016;222(6):1230-1239. doi:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2016.03.022
2.
ShanafeltTDBalchCMDyrbyeL, et al.Special report: Suicidal ideation among American surgeons. Arch Surg. 2011;146(1):54-62. doi:10.1001/archsurg.2010.292
3.
OreskovichMRKaupsKLBalchCM, et al.Prevalence of alcohol use disorders among American surgeons. Arch Surg. 2012;147(2):168-174. doi:10.1001/archsurg.2011.1481
4.
KhoushhalZHussainMAGrecoE, et al.Prevalence and causes of attrition among surgical residents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Surg. 2017;152(3):265-272. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2016.4086
5.
DyrbyeLNShanafeltTDBalchCMSateleDSloanJFreischlagJ. Relationship between work-home conflicts and burnout among American surgeons: A comparison by sex. Arch Surg. 2011;146(2):211-217. doi:10.1001/archsurg.2010.310
6.
MullerDKaseN. Challenging traditional premedical requirements as predictors of success in medical school: The mount sinai school of medicine humanities and medicine program. Acad Med. 2010;85(8):1378-1383. doi:10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181dbf22a
