Communicating with mutual understanding—It’s not always easy but it IS important. Unfortunately, many of us have lost sight of that
Continue ReadingIf You Give a Surgeon a Cookie
It's Friday and I'm not a surgeon anymore. And I miss it every day and especially on Friday. My life is just the same as everyone's, but it's
Continue ReadingPublished in American Urological Association News – October 2016
reprinted with permission in AAOS Now - September 2016 Reprinted with permission from AUANews, volume 21, issue 10, 2016; © American Urological
Continue ReadingEnergy Leadership for a Surgeon
A few year’s ago, I had a very successful surgical practice, but I was not happy that doctors were losing control of how best to care for patients. I
Continue ReadingThe Jeff Smith Time-Out: It is NOT a Checklist!
The term "Time-Out" means different things to different people, but to Surgeons it means something specific. Surgical
Continue ReadingMy Declaration of Independence
Three years ago, I declared my independence from burnout. Monday is when our country celebrates the Declaration of Independence authored by Thomas
Continue ReadingSurgeons Be Brave: Say What You Want to Say
As a surgeon, your training probably didn’t prioritize “communication”—you learned how to save lives and heal bodies, not how to verbalize thoughts,
Continue ReadingThe Benefits of Planning for Failure
As surgeons, we are required to plan for failure in the operating room. We need to be aware of everything that could possibly go wrong, so we know how
Continue ReadingThe 8 Benefits of Surgeon Cross-Training
Most surgeons, especially orthopaedic surgeons, are aware of the permanent damage overuse injuries can cause. We’ve seen it in our patients, in young
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