To think that surgeons, while obviously skilled, often have a certain arrogance that makes them difficult to work with?

[WildHazelCritic]

I completely respect the level of skill, training, and responsibility that comes with being a surgeon but I’ve noticed that many seem to have a certain… arrogance? Of course, confidence is necessary in that field but at what point does it tip over into being dismissive or difficult to work with?

I’ve heard stories (and witnessed myself) of surgeons being rude to colleagues, unwilling to take input, or acting like they’re above everyone else. Is this just part of the culture or do some surgeons lean into the “god complex” stereotype a little too much?

AIBU to think their attitude could sometimes use a reality check? Or is this just a misunderstanding of what the job requires?

@Flyswats No idea, I don’t work with them. But they are doctors who complete specially training.

blah blah blah semantics

Yes, they are famous within medical circles for being jerks and arrogant, and often having poor bedside manner as well.

Obviously NAS, some are lovely.

It's because you have to have a significant level of self-confidence and emotional detachment to saw through a leg or replace someone's heart or cut into their brain. Too much empathy can be detrimental.

My dh neurosurgeon came across as a bit on the spectrum to me, when we had the post op meeting.

Ah speaking as a medical rep who has spent over 25 years pandering after each surgeons whim and having had the weekend from hell supporting spinal surgeons complete trauma cases I can indeed confirm some of them are absolutely awful and a few are absolutely lovely. However I do think majority have some sort of autistic traits. I also have a theory that some of them were either bullied at school or are hen pecked at home that the come into theatres and treat staff and the reps like absolute shit to make themselves feel better. It’s never their fault and the whole world revolves around them. On the other hand Anaesthetic doctors are generally lovely and very very clever. I do get surgery is high pressure but they need to have much better training to handle team work and communication under pressure during their career

You sound angry. But your life was in their hands.

If everyone around you is a cunt, then maybe it is you.

nope, just the anesthesiologists, as I quite clearly stated.
The surgeons, nurses, etc all excellent every time, thankfully.

This, not unique to surgeons

I've had three major surgeries. Two were humble and kind. One was arrogant. Have no idea how they treated their colleagues.

@Flyswats What did they do? I’ve only had one major surgery (last year) and mine asked me a few questions pre-op and that was it. I don’t remember her really after that-guess the GA worked quickly :-)

I also think surgeons shift personality between out patients and ward setting to theatre settings. Some of them are utterly charming until they are scrubbed and operating and turn into absolute knobs with no patience and understanding that it take an entire team to ensure that surgery goes well and not just them

Isn’t surgery one of the top 5 professions that attracts the most psychopaths?

@Flyswats actually not semantics at all. I take a huge amount of pride in what I do and the immense responsibility it involves.

I’m sorry that you have had bad experiences but I think it is really important to stress that we don’t just leave during an operation, we are there the whole time.

if anyone is about to have an operation please don’t be scared reading such things.

It certainly the reputation they’ve always had.

On the other hand, when dd needed surgery as a baby (two occasions), the ones we actually met seemed really lovely. They were the more junior ones as I remember.

The anaesthetists seemed even nicer - I think that’s also their reputation?

The surgeons did seem to have running “banter” with the other areas of surgery as I remember.

You can say you didn't like how they spoke to you without making sweeping, and untrue statements, about how their job is just at tech job that a RN could do.
They specialise after med school like any other doctor...

I’ve had many surgeons and consultants over the years. When I think back, I’m amazed at how MANY. At least three of them became professors under my watchful eye! Almost all of them have been professional and charming. I can’t think of an arsehole although there must have been.

Similarly a lot of GPs. I remember at one time you would never question a GPs judgement or diagnosis, but recent experiences with family members have made me realise they’re not infallible and I would certainly go for a second opinion more, based on gut feelings. I think possibly the quality has gone down - not sure if it’s training that’s not as good as it used to be?

I’ve heard that too, along with CEOs, lawyers and media types, if I remember right. Makes sense though, the traits that help you stay calm under pressure and make high-stakes decisions can overlap with things like low empathy or extreme detachment. Doesn’t mean they’re all psychopaths but it definitely makes you look at some behaviour a bit differently…

Wow....hope you're ok x

My spinal surgeon is lovely 😊

I have recently been working with a consultant surgeon, and he is one of the loveliest people I know. He makes everyone in the room feel on equal footing, despite being an expert in an additional field to his surgeon's work. So pleased to be able to challenge the stereo type!

I get what you’re saying - I think that shift in how we view GPs mirror the bigger picture: we’re less likely to just accept medical authority at face value now, especially when we’ve had mixed or poor experiences. It’s not about being anti-doctor, but realising they’re human and fallible and that blind trust isn’t always wise. Maybe it’s a mix of changing training, system pressure, and patients being more informed (or burned) than before.

I was thinking about this the other day - I had double jaw surgery a few months ago and I just can't imagine casually turning up to work on a Monday morning, sawing someone's jaw off and putting it back together again. My surgeon was very nice, but very loud and so sort of almost aggressively cheerful I couldn't get a word in! It takes a special type of confidence to be sure

It's not arrogance, it's psychopathology or at best sociopathology.

TBH the doctors I have met have been some of the most disturbingly weird people I have ever met, but some of them have gone extraordinary lengths to save lives. Maybe we need them, this is not simple!

I know three surgeons. One is lovely and two are very difficult people.