A candid look at how surgical complications affect not just patients — but the surgeons themselves — and why medicine must rethink how it supports its own.
Video Highlights
Survey data from the American Urological Association indicates most surgeons will experience a serious complication during their career, yet discussion remains largely confined to morbidity and mortality (M&M) conferences, limiting meaningful emotional processing.
Surgeons frequently experience anxiety, depression, insomnia and prolonged psychological distress following complications — sometimes lasting months to years — highlighting an unmet need for structured support systems.
Institutional norms and legal considerations often discourage open discussion, compounding feelings of loneliness and inhibiting peer support at critical moments.
A substantial subset of surgeons report avoiding complex cases or even changing subspecialties due to complication-related trauma, which may have downstream implications for patient access to advanced care.
Proposed solutions include peer-to-peer support networks, departmental engagement, and formal institutional policies to normalize discussion and promote surgeon resilience.
In this discussion, Dr. Kathleen Kobashi and Dr. Dharam Kaushik explore the psychological and professional impact of surgical complications on physicians. Drawing on survey data and qualitative interviews, they highlight the prevalence of complications and the profound emotional, physical and career-related consequences for surgeons. The conversation underscores systemic barriers — particularly cultural stigma and medico-legal concerns — that perpetuate isolation and prevent meaningful support. Importantly, Drs. Kobashi and Kaushik advocate for multi-level interventions, including peer-support networks and institutional policies, to foster resilience and normalize dialogue. These efforts are positioned as essential not only for clinician well-being but also for sustaining high-quality patient care.