Surgeons’ attitudes towards their patients. Changes after going through self major surgery

Abstract

Background: Due to the relatively lack of a humane attitude in the behavior of many surgeons perceived by part of the patients, the authors of this paper assumed that those surgeons who underwent themselves major surgery, improved their attitudes towards their new patients after returning to their professional activity.
Objective: To evaluate if the former presumption is correct. If it is correct, to promote and to stimulate the teaching of medical professionalism especially during undergraduate clinical training periods and medical residencies.
Setting: Practice in public and private hospitals by members of the Asociación Argentina de Cirugía
Design: retrospective observational study
Population: a sample of 42 active physicians of different surgical specialties, between 37 and 76 years of age, who underwent major surgical operations. All of them returned to their surgical practice.
Method: semi structured survey
Results: 15 subjects maintained their former attitudes, while the remainder 27 subjects reported changes. In 12 subjects, changes have been subjective implications. The other 15 surgeons perceived attitudinal and procedural changes in the doctor-patient relationship.
Conclusion: Most surgeons of the analyzed sample perceived that after going themselves through a major surgical procedure they have changed and improved their attitudes towards their patients.