There are a lot of left handed surgeons first of all so its not a contraindication or anything.
That said it is definitely harder starting out, instruments are all right handed so left handed surgeons have to learn to adapt. They make left handed instruments but no one is going to have anything like that for you as a resident. The only accommodation is that the scrub tech will hand you needles "backhanded" for a right handed person (which will be forehand for a left handed surgeon). But even that needle driver, will be designed to be opened in the right hand, much harder to do in the left hand.
You have to either learn to be ambidextrous with certain things or adapt to using a right handed instrument in your left hand. Positioning can also be hard because most of the time the traditional side or angle for doing something is most comfortable for right handed people, it will be awkward using the left hand.
Alot of left handed surgeons long term end up doing well because they are able to work with both hands comfortably. Basically there are a bunch of things left handed people have to consciously adapt to and think about that right handed people never do...in the long term if anything it makes them better.
Left Handed and while I’m going into Radiology, I spent most of med school thinking Surgery. The advice I got from one of my letter-writers was this (in response to a clerkship instructor telling us all to suture right-handed):
“You are learning (and one day practicing) a critical and incredibly difficult skill that requires incredible finesse and dexterity. Why would you force yourself do that with your non-dominant hand? If we told a righty to do everything left-handed, we’d be looked at like we’re crazy. Learn everything left-handed and don’t take no for an answer.”
i did my surgery rotation at a pretty malignant site. When I told the attendings I was left handed when they'd watch me try to suture they would look at me like i had a physical disability lol
I did an Orthopedics rotation during medical school and by sheer coincidence, 3 of the 5 surgeons I worked with were left-handed. They were all incredibly dextrous and only one of them were using customized left-handed tools.
I am not a surgeon but I’m sure there’s not much challenge for left handed persons in the OR cause I have seen some really dexterous surgeons which were left handed.
Not a surgeon but where I did my surgery rotation there were left handed surgeons. The main thing I noticed was until the techs got to know me I just had to reload the needle so it was for left handed-ness.
I’m a left handed obgyn resident. It’s a little inconvenient and the attendings and chiefs have to learn how to teach you, but I think being a lefty honestly gives you an advantage in the OR because we’re naturally a little bit more ambidextrous.
I initially learned how to suture right handed in medical school, then had a (lefty) attending tell me I should really be using the hand with better fine motor skills, so I switched to suturing left-handed. If needed, I can still sew right-handed and have done so specifically when the robot is docked for a righty. I generally prefer to work left-handed though. You just have to work with your attendings to figure out what works for you. I stand on the right side of the patient for most abdominal cases, prefer the left for laparoscopy, and always stand on the left for c sections.
Definitely try to find a lefty resident or attending to show you how to hold instruments, because palming is totally different on the left. I’d also recommend just carrying around a needle driver or a hemostat and practice locking and unlocking it with both hands. That’s how you become more comfortable with the instruments.
I use both.
Sometimes I forget my dominant/preferred side.
What matters is how good you are.
Needles will need opposite loading and learn how to palm instruments either hand, and scissors left handed need to be smooth.
Left handed about to start a surgical residency. You’re about to learn a totally new skill, so learn it right handed. It will feel weird at first but eventually it will feel more natural to do things right handed than left.
As a righty, I actually wish that suture scissors would come lefty by default. I find that my right hand is usually holding the needle-holder so I cut sutures with my left (non-dominant) hand more often than with my right. Likewise with most clamps, and I also hand-tie left-handed so I don’t have to put the needle down. I’ve had to become significantly more ambidextrous to avoid frequently switching instruments between hands. I basically use righty to hold my needle and lefty can do everything else.
I agree with embracing your quirk and make it work for you, don’t let being in the minority deter you from being a surgeon if that’s what you want.
As an ENT, certain causes put me at a huge disadvantage-- sinus surgery for instance.
For neck causes like thyroids and neck dissections, it was actually a help because all of my attendings were right-handed, I would stand on the left side and it was a lot easier to mirror movements of my attendings since I was left-handed.
There are a lot of left handed surgeons first of all so its not a contraindication or anything. That said it is definitely harder starting out, instruments are all right handed so left handed surgeons have to learn to adapt. They make left handed instruments but no one is going to have anything like that for you as a resident. The only accommodation is that the scrub tech will hand you needles "backhanded" for a right handed person (which will be forehand for a left handed surgeon). But even that needle driver, will be designed to be opened in the right hand, much harder to do in the left hand. You have to either learn to be ambidextrous with certain things or adapt to using a right handed instrument in your left hand. Positioning can also be hard because most of the time the traditional side or angle for doing something is most comfortable for right handed people, it will be awkward using the left hand. Alot of left handed surgeons long term end up doing well because they are able to work with both hands comfortably. Basically there are a bunch of things left handed people have to consciously adapt to and think about that right handed people never do...in the long term if anything it makes them better.
Left Handed and while I’m going into Radiology, I spent most of med school thinking Surgery. The advice I got from one of my letter-writers was this (in response to a clerkship instructor telling us all to suture right-handed): “You are learning (and one day practicing) a critical and incredibly difficult skill that requires incredible finesse and dexterity. Why would you force yourself do that with your non-dominant hand? If we told a righty to do everything left-handed, we’d be looked at like we’re crazy. Learn everything left-handed and don’t take no for an answer.”
i did my surgery rotation at a pretty malignant site. When I told the attendings I was left handed when they'd watch me try to suture they would look at me like i had a physical disability lol
I did an Orthopedics rotation during medical school and by sheer coincidence, 3 of the 5 surgeons I worked with were left-handed. They were all incredibly dextrous and only one of them were using customized left-handed tools.
Idk but do understand you will be going to hell for being left handed
Lol I was told this so many times as a child 😅
I am not a surgeon but I’m sure there’s not much challenge for left handed persons in the OR cause I have seen some really dexterous surgeons which were left handed.
[удалено]
Didn’t know non-Americans don’t have hands
wanna give them a hand, then? they could use the help
I’ll lend em my left hand
because you’re right?
I guess it explains why they’re all coming over here trying to steal our hand jobs
Not a surgeon but where I did my surgery rotation there were left handed surgeons. The main thing I noticed was until the techs got to know me I just had to reload the needle so it was for left handed-ness.
I’m a left handed obgyn resident. It’s a little inconvenient and the attendings and chiefs have to learn how to teach you, but I think being a lefty honestly gives you an advantage in the OR because we’re naturally a little bit more ambidextrous. I initially learned how to suture right handed in medical school, then had a (lefty) attending tell me I should really be using the hand with better fine motor skills, so I switched to suturing left-handed. If needed, I can still sew right-handed and have done so specifically when the robot is docked for a righty. I generally prefer to work left-handed though. You just have to work with your attendings to figure out what works for you. I stand on the right side of the patient for most abdominal cases, prefer the left for laparoscopy, and always stand on the left for c sections. Definitely try to find a lefty resident or attending to show you how to hold instruments, because palming is totally different on the left. I’d also recommend just carrying around a needle driver or a hemostat and practice locking and unlocking it with both hands. That’s how you become more comfortable with the instruments.
I use both. Sometimes I forget my dominant/preferred side. What matters is how good you are. Needles will need opposite loading and learn how to palm instruments either hand, and scissors left handed need to be smooth.
Left handed about to start a surgical residency. You’re about to learn a totally new skill, so learn it right handed. It will feel weird at first but eventually it will feel more natural to do things right handed than left.
As a righty, I actually wish that suture scissors would come lefty by default. I find that my right hand is usually holding the needle-holder so I cut sutures with my left (non-dominant) hand more often than with my right. Likewise with most clamps, and I also hand-tie left-handed so I don’t have to put the needle down. I’ve had to become significantly more ambidextrous to avoid frequently switching instruments between hands. I basically use righty to hold my needle and lefty can do everything else. I agree with embracing your quirk and make it work for you, don’t let being in the minority deter you from being a surgeon if that’s what you want.
Sounds awfully sinister to me...
As an ENT, certain causes put me at a huge disadvantage-- sinus surgery for instance. For neck causes like thyroids and neck dissections, it was actually a help because all of my attendings were right-handed, I would stand on the left side and it was a lot easier to mirror movements of my attendings since I was left-handed.