The surgery I observed was extremely similar to the previous ones I have observed, with nothing incredibly notable to document. Aside from surgery, Dr. Heffernan and I spent some time working on my Final Product. He knows my main focus has been on developing training tools for surgeons interested in mastering different surgeries via the da Vinci robot, and gave me his input on how I should set it all up. His philosophy when explaining his ideas for my project was that so many small yet essential details of a simple procedure are often overlooked or lost in translation over time. As a young surgeon, if you’re not taught all of the very basics of a surgery because they seem obvious to your teacher, then you will unfortunately neglect to pass these tips on to future generations of surgeons. Therefore, having a documented copy of every single detail necessary for the effective completion of a basic surgery is essential for comprehensive training. That’s where my Final Product comes in—if I can create a series of videos that include every necessary aspect of a hysterectomy, I can do a great service to the medical community, something I’d absolutely love to do my part in.
The more time I spend at the hospital around my mentor Dr. Heffernan and his team, the more I realize that I love this environment and field. Medicine is most definitely what I plan on studying in college, and I’m extremely thankful for the opportunities ISM has provided me with to have these impactful experiences.
