In my last blog I talked about the surgical culture. Now we move to the epicenter of that culture: the operating room.
It’s a unique experience: being a surgeon responsible for actions in an operating room. I wouldn’t say it was in any sense superior to other work experiences. I’m only saying the operating room is an unusual place. There’s no question that being in that space, observing operations, when I was a medical student is what grabbed me when choosing a career specialty. The amazing thing is that feeling of awe never lessened over the years.
To be in the OR and a surgeon means you are operating on a human being. Surgeons really enjoy the technical aspects—first the knowing aspects: what and how much to cut, avoiding bleeding or controlling if it happens, and dealing with unexpected findings. But it’s performing the procedure operation that is the ultimate experience: cutting the tissues, separating planes between anatomic structures, removing a cancerous organ—having your hands and instruments on your patient in the most intimate way possible. The enjoyment surgeons get from these activities is not to be confused with a frivolous attitude. We are constantly aware of the humanity of our patient and our responsibility to him or her. But there are no better ways to say it: it’s fun to operate. Perhaps better is to say it is satisfying or rewarding. The truth is we love doing what we do in the operating room. There is some stress: when things go badly someone can be hurt, even lethally. That thought is in the back of the surgeon’s mind but in the forefront is the pleasure of completing an esthetically perfect operation with the expectation of an uneventful recovery.
As with the surgical culture I miss operating and the ambiance of the OR. But I don’t miss either in the sense of wanting to return to them. I loved them both but said my farewell with no regrets. Time for family.
