I still remember EVERY DETAIL of the first surgery I observed... an emergency C-section. I was working the Neo-nate truck for AMR, and got dispatched to a hospital that didn't have a NICU. Everyone was scrubbing in (I was with a nurse, resp. therapist, and a physician from the hospital we'd be transporting to), so after plugging in the isolette in the hallway (to keep the battery up, and the isolette warm), I scrubbed in and gowned up too. Everyone was too busy to notice who i was, I guess.
I stationed myself in a corner and thought two thoughts....
#1 - HOW FREAKING COOL IS THIS?!??!!
and
#2 - DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!!!!!
All of a sudden, I heard someone say, "Is this your first time in an OR?" ... I looked up (mind racing... what do i say?!?!?! Yes=get kicked out, or No=expected to know something?!?!?!). I managed a "Yes" and looked up into the eyes of the surgeon, who I was standing RIGHT NEXT TO. Apparently I was so engrossed, I'd walked around and was right there, looking into the patients' abdomen. The surgeon just said, "Cool" and continued w/ the surgery, but explaining everything to me. Totally frickin amazing. I knew right then that I needed to be a surgeon.
If you can get into a surgery, i couldn't recommend it more.