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ing and I dread the occurrence of collateral damage. These residents
need a crash course in ballet or tai chi in order to accrue the skill of flu-
idity in motion. In time most do learn that truly great surgeons are kind
to tissues.
• Guilty as Charged. These poor souls are extremely conscientious, but
leave themselves little margin for error. One errant portal placement
crescendos into a freefall of self-reproach and self-castigation. These
promising young adults have an advanced degree in guilt and need to
recognize that 'to err is human.' After several minutes of head hanging, I
remind them that we have 5 more cases to do!
• The Timid. This resident is well qualified and has excelled in pretty
much every endeavor he has embraced — except assertiveness train-
ing. The timid brand is afraid to ask to do more surgery and is quick to
relinquish the case at the onset of difficulty. There is a fine line between
humility and poor self-esteem, and this lot tends to suffer from deep
feelings of inadequacy. My approach is to validate them and remind
them that they are not grade-A steamed cow dung. Rather, they are gift-
ed young men and women blessed with the opportunity to heal others.
• Glacial Speed. The obsessive-compulsive-disorder-riddled resident has
nuked all semblance of spontaneity in their stress-riddled lives. Every
movement is calculated with exact precision. Left to their own designs,
these tormented souls may spend hours determining the perfect inci-
sion. These beleaguered spirits seem to have great difficulty getting out
of first gear and require much on-site coaching. When the tourniquet
time exceeds an hour and the second scope portal has not been estab-
lished, I gently nudge this breed into action and remind them that I
don't wish to keep a diary of every case. OSM
Dr. Kelly (johndak4@gmail.com) is an orthopedic surgeon/
sports-shoulder specialist who practices in Philadelphia, Pa.
