Flexibility Issues?

[Algophiliac]

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I love surgery. Love, love, love, love, love surgery. 😀 I love what I have gotten to see of the OR so far, I love being able to help patients immediately (or at least, being able to watch others help patients immediately), I love the hierarchies, I love absolutely everything about it.

But, one personality trait I have noticed in surgeons is a greater flexibility than anyone on earth, I think!

I have issues with this. I like to be on a structured schedule, as it makes my life easier to plan. 🙁 How can I get over this? How should I go about breaking my "anti-flexibility" habits without becoming nervous and anxious (I have anxiety issues to the max 🙁)?

Also, I like people, and I like working in groups when everyone cares, for some reason, but I don't really like unstructured social situations all that much...again, probably because of my flexibility issues, since I don't know how or when the evening will end for example. And I need my me time to relax, too.

Is there a simple, no-stress way to go about getting rid of my flexibility issues? Does anyone have experience in this, and if so, what did you do? Thanks, everyone. 🙂

 

[LizzyM]

If it upsets you, you might consider talking with a counselor who might help you get over your anxiety about unexpected situations.

While you might not do so well in something like trauma surgery, perhaps you would enjoy the "routine" of some of the surgical specialties that are more routine and entirely scheduled (elective surgery). Docs in these specialties tend to have specific days for surgery and specfic days for office consultation (pre-op and post-op). They have a routine of rounds, surgeries, rounds. Rounds, office hours, rounds. There may be some "on call" for emergency surgery but I think that there is little of that for some sub-specialties.

 

[Algophiliac]

If it upsets you, you might consider talking with a counselor who might help you get over your anxiety about unexpected situations.

While you might not do so well in something like trauma surgery, perhaps you would enjoy the "routine" of some of the surgical specialties that are more routine and entirely scheduled (elective surgery). Docs in these specialties tend to have specific days for surgery and specfic days for office consultation (pre-op and post-op). They have a routine of rounds, surgeries, rounds. Rounds, office hours, rounds. There may be some "on call" for emergency surgery but I think that there is little of that for some sub-specialties.

I am actually seeing a counselor weekly, and it is helping me a bit, but thank you for the suggestion!

Although scheduled surgeries are much easier on my mental state, the estimates are always just that, estimates of how much time a surgery might take. But I definitely agree the scheduling is much much better for me. 🙂

However, am I wrong in thinking that it is less likely to always leave the OR at the same hour every night? This should not be a necessity for me, and I am trying to fix that, but it is difficult for me even as a shadowing student. Perhaps I just need more exposure?

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

I am actually seeing a counselor weekly, and it is helping me a bit, but thank you for the suggestion!

Although scheduled surgeries are much easier on my mental state, the estimates are always just that, estimates of how much time a surgery might take. But I definitely agree the scheduling is much much better for me. 🙂

However, am I wrong in thinking that it is less likely to always leave the OR at the same hour every night? This should not be a necessity for me, and I am trying to fix that, but it is difficult for me even as a shadowing student. Perhaps I just need more exposure?

You are correct, there aren't really any surgical fields in which you know you can consistently get out at the same hour every day. Maybe ophtho? Even still, you would have to take call.

If you absolutely need to know what time you will be leaving each day, I'd suggest looking into something like EM or another field with strictly shift work. In EM, you'd also have the immediacy of patient care. Not sure what you mean when you refer to hierarchy, any medical profession has that.

The problem of course would be that what happens during that shift is going to be supremely variable, so I don't know how that would play with your anxiety. I guess it comes down to what would be worse for you: having to be flexible with your hours, or being flexible with what type of cases you see.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

Also, interesting that you would characterize surgeons as the most flexible profession. In a lot of ways they are, I would agree, but in a lot of ways they are also the most inflexible (i.e., "I have to have this brand of instrument, the patient has to be prepped this way, etc").

 

[trinity47]

(i.e., "I have to have this brand of instrument, the patient has to be prepped this way, etc").

Definitely hear this a lot where I work, people are so attached to instruments!

 

[Algophiliac]

You are correct, there aren't really any surgical fields in which you know you can consistently get out at the same hour every day. Maybe ophtho? Even still, you would have to take call.

If you absolutely need to know what time you will be leaving each day, I'd suggest looking into something like EM or another field with strictly shift work. In EM, you'd also have the immediacy of patient care. Not sure what you mean when you refer to hierarchy, any medical profession has that.

The problem of course would be that what happens during that shift is going to be supremely variable, so I don't know how that would play with your anxiety. I guess it comes down to what would be worse for you: having to be flexible with your hours, or being flexible with what type of cases you see.

For some reason, I always get told EM on this forum. Perhaps I should shadow an EM physician and see if I enjoy it.

I am trying to not be as obsessive about scheduling, actually, hence the post. The variety in EM is definitely exciting, I'm sure, and variability in cases is only a benefit in my view--it definitely does not ever cause me as much anxiety as scheduling flexibility issues. And I find the structure in the OR to be more...traditional, I guess I can say? I suppose that is what I really meant by hierarchy, but I shouldn't speak without too much experience.

And are they? I really have not shadowed enough surgeons to know, but it seems reasonable to have everything be as familiar as possible, so you can know what to expect.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

For some reason, I always get told EM on this forum. Perhaps I should shadow an EM physician and see if I enjoy it.

I am trying to not be as obsessive about scheduling, actually, hence the post. The variety in EM is definitely exciting, I'm sure, and variability in cases is only a benefit in my view--it definitely does not ever cause me as much anxiety as scheduling flexibility issues. And I find the structure in the OR to be more...traditional, I guess I can say? I suppose that is what I really meant by hierarchy, but I shouldn't speak without too much experience.

And are they? I really have not shadowed enough surgeons to know, but it seems reasonable to have everything be as familiar as possible, so you can know what to expect.

Every personality trait is a double-edged sword, and dangerous in excess. There are certainly plenty of times when "inflexibility" is a desired trait, especially in a surgeon. When a term is used casually, though, it typically refers to an excess of that trait, i.e., an "inflexible" surgeon is someone who is inflexible even when it is of no benefit to the patient or auxiliary staff.