A story in the Vancouver Sun quotes UBC medicine professor Dr. William Gourlay on the topic of what qualities make good surgeons. The article comes in response to a viral video of potential Japanese surgeons doing intricate tasks like miniature origami.
Gourlay oversees UBC’s urologic surgery residency program and said he’s not aware of research showing that surgeon dexterity improves patient satisfaction. Instead he said patients appreciate surgeons who are empathetic, good communicators and professional.
“Our program does not directly assess applicants’ dexterity in the residency selection process,” he said. “Our program is far, far more interested in applicants’ personal commitment to our specialty, their cognitive abilities and their communication and collaborative skills.”
The article also appeared in the Province, Edmonton Journal, Calgary Herald, Regina Leader-Post, Ottawa Citizen, Saskatoon Star Phoenix, and Montreal Gazette.
