Professional Development
PD
3 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9
Surgeons who seek
out advice for improv-
ing how they operate
often record them-
selves in action and
review it with a peer
surgical coach. "Our
program is a bit dif-
ferent than that
model," says Jason
Pradarelli, MD, a gen-
eral surgery resident at Brigham and Women's Hospital in
Boston, Mass., who studies the impact surgeon-surgeon coach-
ing has on surgical skill. "We're trying to leverage the expertise
that surgical departments already have within their walls."
He says direct-observation-based coaching should be broken
down into 3 segments:
• Pre-op. The surgeon coach and surgeon coachee have a goal-
setting conversation about improvements the coachee wants to
make. The conversation can take place right before surgery
begins so the coach knows to focus on that during the procedure.
• Intraop. The coach simply observes surgery based on what
the surgeon brought up during the pre-op discussion and takes
detailed notes of teaching moments she can discuss with the sur-
geon after the case.
• Post-op. Immediately after the operation or within a few days,
the coach and the coachee sit down together in a private setting
Watching and Learning in the OR
• FLY ON THE WALL Surgeon coaches take note of what goes on during sur-
gery and share their thoughts during post-op debriefings.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
