This book presents various skills to help surgeons improve their day-to-day performance and
development including professionalism communication situation awareness decision making
leadership and technical dexterity. It also offers advice on how to organise a surgical
theatre list improve theatre efficiency prepare for surgical interviews and participate in
surgical research and audit. Furthermore it emphasises the need to strive for safety in
surgery and to learn from things going wrong. The complex world of emotions that surgeons may
encounter is also discussed. The guidance presented here may be of value to any aspiring
surgeon whatever their surgical specialty and wherever they choose to practise. The skills
highlighted in this book reflect the author's initial experiences as a surgical trainee the
teachings of his senior trainers as well as his subsequent involvement in supervising multiple
junior surgeons as a Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedics. Much of the material presented is
supported by an extensive literature review. This book complements the previously published
book Career Skills for Doctors by the same author.
