Routine surgery is part of almost every private practitioner’s daily life. How do you become a competent surgeon? The following points are worth considering.
Find a good teacher:
To be really good at anything you really need to be taught. A good teacher or mentor may be your first employer or an experienced colleague at work.
Be aware of time:
Don’t put yourself under time pressure. Your surgical speed should improve with experience. However, it is helpful to be aware of how long routine surgery is taking you. If your speed is not improving over time talk to your mentor.
Do a lot of surgery:
If you want to be a good surgeon there is no substitute for doing a lot of surgery. Ask your employer if you can do routine surgery on a very regular basis. A vet I know worked for one of the very large animal charities in the UK as a recent graduate. He did a large amount of routine surgery on a daily basis and, as a result became very competent and confident.
Dropping a bleeder:
One of the greatest fears of many graduates is “dropping a bleeder” during a spay. It is a good idea to learn the correct technique for picking up a bleeder well in advance. When it does happen, you will have a pre thought strategy to work through. If you do “drop a bleeder” and need help ask for assistance from an experienced vet immediately.
Watch other people:
Many things in life we learn by watching other people. Surgery is no different. If you have the opportunity to watch competent surgeons at work – take it. Consider coming into work in your own time if there is a new or interesting surgery being performed.
I would be delighted to hear your thoughts on this. Could you please leave me a comment below?
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