theatre and surgery
Stress immunity in surgeons
Stress immunity is an important personality trait of doctors , with a high representation seen in surgery . With one in five surgeons dropping out of training and 80 % reporting burnout symptoms , methods to increase job satisfaction and reduce burnout are required
James Pegrum MBBS BSc ( Orthopaedics ) MSc ( Sports Medicine ) Diploma Mtn Med FRCS ( Trauma & Orthopaedics ) Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre , Oxford , UK ; Honorary Research Associate Centre for Sport & Exercise Medicine Queen Mary ’ s University London , UK
Robert McCulloch MRCS MBChB PGDME Trauma and Orthopaedic Department Stoke Mandeville Hospital , Aylesbury , UK
Oliver Pearce FRCS ( Trauma & Orthopaedics ) Visiting Professor Bedford University ; Trauma and Orthopaedic Consultant , Milton Keynes NHS Foundation Trust , UK
In surgery , we are all too quick to judge the psychology of our patients ; however , understanding our own personality is essential to optimise our own performance . Our surgical decision-making requires the ability to judge the patient ’ s personality , while simultaneously understanding our own character and temperament , to allow a patient-centred consultation and consent for surgery .
The psychological traits of a surgeon It is estimated that the prevalence of a psychopathic personality trait within the general population is approximately 1 %, however within the world of finance , it rises to 3.5 % and is even higher among leaders . 1 Surgeons are subjected to a high level of psychiatric morbidity with various factors presented in the literature ; long working hours , 2 , 3 working night shifts , divorce , 4 medical lawsuits 5 or failing to meet continuing medical demands . 6 It will therefore not be too surprising to find out that some of the traits associated with a psychopathic personality , such as preternatural calmness under pressure , and an apparent indifference to human suffering when making life or death decisions , are perhaps selected out in those who rise to the top of our profession .
There are traits of a subclinical psychopathy that may benefit the surgical field . These positive personality traits include good relationships with others , social desirability and honesty . Subclinical psychopathy also includes less desirable Machiavellian tendencies that may represent a rejection of an absolute moral standard rather
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