Can I be a surgeon?

[osumc2014]

I love surgery and enjoy watching it, but for some reason when I see pictures of some gruesome injuries/procedures I imagine it being me having that. I have done many suture workshops and never had a problem. I think it's just pictures. Most likely it's because when I'm doing it, I take my emotions out of it and just focus on the technicality of it. But when I see pictures, I just think man that's a person, what if that happened to me? Anyone else like this and want to go into surgery? Or am I just crazy lol.

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[FutureMDSurgeon]

I think you should wait until you complete your surgery rotation in M3. Only then will you have a good idea on whether surgery is really for you.

 

[adaptation1]

the irony

 

[BigRedder]

I often get the same visceral response to images of gross injuries, especially non-surgical amputations. It's probably mirror neurons or something. However, it is different in the OR, where you see the whole person with the injury, not just the part that is maimed. Also, you are focusing on helping the person, so you have a lot less time to get introspective.

Of course, all that applies mainly to trauma. In a general surgical procedure, the field is so isolated from the rest of the person that you might as well be looking at a 3D anatomy model. Once you open them up, you lose the association with your own body since you've never seen yourself like that. After seeing it a little bit you get pretty desensitized anyway.

 

[WellWornLad]

What do you mean by imagine? Do you have an autonomic or anxious reaction or are you just thinkin' thoughts?

In any case, unless you faint at the sight of blood (which, weirdly, is an inherited condition) you'll probably get used to it during surgery. That said, take extra precautions your first week - hydrate, eat, be well rested, go to the bathroom beforehand, breathe (not too much), and if you're going to freak out, do it away from the sterile field.

 

[Miscbrah]

What do you mean by imagine? Do you have an autonomic or anxious reaction or are you just thinkin' thoughts?

In any case, unless you faint at the sight of blood (which, weirdly, is an inherited condition) you'll probably get used to it during surgery. That said, take extra precautions your first week - hydrate, eat, be well rested, go to the bathroom beforehand, breathe (not too much), and if you're going to freak out, do it away from the sterile field.

my mom fainted during her surgery rotation

farewell dreams of being Ben Carson

 

[osumc2014]

What do you mean by imagine? Do you have an autonomic or anxious reaction or are you just thinkin' thoughts?

In any case, unless you faint at the sight of blood (which, weirdly, is an inherited condition) you'll probably get used to it during surgery. That said, take extra precautions your first week - hydrate, eat, be well rested, go to the bathroom beforehand, breathe (not too much), and if you're going to freak out, do it away from the sterile field.

Nope, no fainting or anything, the few times I saw a surgery in person I was fine. But if I ever see pictures it's like that part of my body feels like its being cut or something, hard to describe. But wouldn't be anything that made me incapable of functioning though

 

[xanthomondo]

I love surgery and enjoy watching it, but for some reason when I see pictures of some gruesome injuries/procedures I imagine it being me having that. I have done many suture workshops and never had a problem. I think it's just pictures. Most likely it's because when I'm doing it, I take my emotions out of it and just focus on the technicality of it. But when I see pictures, I just think man that's a person, what if that happened to me? Anyone else like this and want to go into surgery? Or am I just crazy lol.

I say you're crazy for wanting to do surgery.

 

[ACSurgeon]

Nope, no fainting or anything, the few times I saw a surgery in person I was fine. But if I ever see pictures it's like that part of my body feels like its being cut or something, hard to describe. But wouldn't be anything that made me incapable of functioning though

You'll have to rotate through surgery as a third year. You'll have to use printed sources AND see live surgeries. If you can tolerate that, you can do it. If not, you've got your answer.

My sense: you'll be fine.