Do surgeons listsen to music in the OR?

corabrickdog

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Hi i was just wondering if you guys do? And if so what kind like rock,hip-hop, classical,etc?

Thanks,
David :sleep:

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There's a wide range of preferences. Some surgeons (like me) will always have music on in the OR. Others (like one of my partners) might tolerate it for a while, but don't really like it. Others straight-up want things quiet.

Just like any other situation, there are lots of preferences. I have an OR playlist on my iPod that is ~800 songs. Most people will tell you that the general rule is that it should be "radio-friendly" -- i.e. should not be majorly offensive/vulgar. My mix is a broad mix of rock that goes back to 80's and up to current stuff. I have some hip-hop on it, but have had to buy "radio edit" versions on iTunes of some stuff that could be a bit too racy.
 
maxheadroom is right on the money (as usual).

There is a wide variety of preferences for the presence of music and if present, for the type. I will also vary depending on who's in the room and whether the patient is under GA or conscious sedation.

Being a woman, I may also have mood related preferences. :laugh:

I usually listen to 80s/90s but also have some Rihanna, hip hop (I admit to sometimes slipping and letting the "Explicit" versions play), modern rock/pop on my play list. Yesterday I played Frank Sinatra's Christmas stuff for the awake patient and Evanescence, Duran Duran, Mumford and Sons and The White Stripes later.
 
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Hi i was just wondering if you guys do? And if so what kind like rock,hip-hop, classical,etc?

Thanks,
David :sleep:

One of my reasons for going into surgery was the ability to listen to music in the OR all day, and I'm only partially joking about that.

The problem as a resident is that you have to cater to attending preference which is easier with some than others. We have a few guys that will just throw on a local classic rock station which isn't too bad, we have a few that are fresh out of residency (and therefore not too much older than me) so we have similar taste in 90's rock/alternative which is awesome. I have one attending who is actually quite an expert on progressive 70/80's rock and every case I do with him I go jot down some of the stuff we listened to so I can pick it up later.

On the flip side we have one that insists on absolute silence (even the anesthesia pulse ox beeping annoys him) and another that listens to Indian opera music (in Hindi no less) which is just awful......it can only be what gonorrhea of the ear would be like, without the fun sexy time before inoculation.
 
One of my reasons for going into surgery was the ability to listen to music in the OR all day, and I'm only partially joking about that.

The problem as a resident is that you have to cater to attending preference which is easier with some than others. We have a few guys that will just throw on a local classic rock station which isn't too bad, we have a few that are fresh out of residency (and therefore not too much older than me) so we have similar taste in 90's rock/alternative which is awesome. I have one attending who is actually quite an expert on progressive 70/80's rock and every case I do with him I go jot down some of the stuff we listened to so I can pick it up later.

On the flip side we have one that insists on absolute silence (even the anesthesia pulse ox beeping annoys him) and another that listens to Indian opera music (in Hindi no less) which is just awful......it can only be what gonorrhea of the ear would be like, without the fun sexy time before inoculation.

Worked with an attending that listened to what I think was Indian pop music. Wasn't that bad. Not sure how I would feel about Hindi opera though.

When I was a resident most of the staff was usually pretty relaxed about music choices (one doesn't really like music to be played but won't stop you as long as the case is going ok) as long as it wasn't too loud to hear what is going on in the room. Some of the ortho guys liked to rock out to some metal stuff which can be fun. There are a few that are into pretty current stuff and one of them video'd me shaking my booty while using a computer on wheels in the room (wasn't my case and was just visiting. Dual specialty thing so one staff wasn't scrubbed at the time but was also hanging out). There was also one time where Baby got back came on and a few of us took a moment to dance while scrubbed. It was awesome.
 
One of my reasons for going into surgery was the ability to listen to music in the OR all day, and I'm only partially joking about that.

The problem as a resident is that you have to cater to attending preference which is easier with some than others. We have a few guys that will just throw on a local classic rock station which isn't too bad, we have a few that are fresh out of residency (and therefore not too much older than me) so we have similar taste in 90's rock/alternative which is awesome. I have one attending who is actually quite an expert on progressive 70/80's rock and every case I do with him I go jot down some of the stuff we listened to so I can pick it up later.

On the flip side we have one that insists on absolute silence (even the anesthesia pulse ox beeping annoys him) and another that listens to Indian opera music (in Hindi no less) which is just awful......it can only be what gonorrhea of the ear would be like, without the fun sexy time before inoculation.
Ah, yes. I had an attending who listened to that "gonorrhea of the ear" music of which you speak; his favorites were reminiscent of the sound of cats in heat. Not exaggerating, the med students always commented that it sounded like cats in distress when he left the room. :barf:

We also had an attending who listened to death metal at top volume in the OR. I don't generally mind heavy metal at normal volume on occasion, but that was ROUGH on the ears. Especially when operating on kids with the room cranked to 80+ degrees.
 
Thanks guys for all the feedback.

Thanks,
David :sleep:
 
The best is when the surgery team breaks out into a synchronized dance. Thriller came on the radio one time...man, that was epic.
 
I definitely can't wait until I get to choose the music, but I'll still have to tone down the heavy metal...
 
I think "Deep Inside of You" by Third Eye Blind would be a very fitting surgery song.

Let the Bodies Hit the Floor, not so much.
 
I definitely can't wait until I get to choose the music, but I'll still have to tone down the heavy metal...

Says who?

I try and be courteous to what others want to listen to (and definitely try not to choose anything with overtly foul language), but if you do your best work listening to Bullet for My Valentine, then who's Cindy Circulator to stop you?
 
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Now that's MY kind of OR music: old school AC/DC!

I think I'd be rocking Pink Floyd the entire time. Keeps me calm and happy.
Man, imagining performing surgery while listening to Dark Side of the Moon or Meddle...
 
I think I'd be rocking Pink Floyd the entire time. Keeps me calm and happy.
Man, imagining performing surgery while listening to Dark Side of the Moon or Meddle...

Ugh...I hate Floyd. Most women I know do. Besides you honestly need something with rapid beats to it when your stamina is flagging.

PF is something used to put people to sleep IMHO.
 
Songs you shouldn't play in the OR

In too Deep - Sum 41

Bring me to Life - Evanescence

Keep Bleeding - Leona Lewis

Die Young - Ke$ha

Just Can't Get Enough - Black Eyed Peas

Scars -Papa Roach

She's Killing Me - Rocket to the Moon
 
Says who?

I try and be courteous to what others want to listen to (and definitely try not to choose anything with overtly foul language), but if you do your best work listening to Bullet for My Valentine, then who's Cindy Circulator to stop you?
Eh, I'm talking about stuff like this :D

[YOUTUBE]IfCD8su-BuU[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]K003TNG40P8[/YOUTUBE]
 
If there isn't music on in the OR I lose my mind during cases.

It's weird, I almost need music to concentrate.

Of course when the circulator turns on the 24/7 Christmas station, it can get old really quick.
 
They do in scrubs...

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2 Hours into a particularly bloody IVC repair, "Keep Bleeding" by Leona Lewis comes on.
 
When I go to the OR for shadowing, 90% of the time there is Frank Sinatra playing
 
I listen to this all the time in the OR

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee_uujKuJMI[/YOUTUBE]
 
You obviously are not familiar with Dr. Michelle Au's comics, Scut Monkey.

Take a look here at the 12 Medical Specialty Stereotypes and look closely at the Ortho one.

:D

:laugh::laugh: that is just nasty

So Dr.Cox what is your speciality?
 
You seem like you are closest to derm on that cartoon. I mean that in a good way. When I wear nice clothes and shoes, people don't recognize me :D

Well yes...I have been mistaken for a Dermatologist or Plastic surgeon on more than one occasion. :D

I don't have a ring the size of a chiclet, sadly (but I guess I could buy myself one), but the shoes, clothes and hair are about on point.
 
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