Whether it’s in the classroom or through one of the 370 chapters he’s written, Dr. Edward Benzel is training the next generation of spine surgeons. After all, he wrote Benzel’s Spine Surgery, the definitive textbook on spine biomechanics, now in its fifth edition. I recently sat down with Dr. Benzel to discuss some of the strategies he finds most relevant for those currently training to enter the field.
Using both mind and matter
The skills needed to be a surgeon can be broken down into two categories. The first are known as psychomotor skills. These are movement tasks that require both cognitive and motor processes. They are everything that has to do with the techniques required to perform surgeries. Dr. Benzel’s recommendation for improving psychomotor skills is simple: practice. There are no shortcuts to this end. Surgeons have to be ready to put in the work if they want to be the best.
The second set of skills are your decision-making skills. From consultation to post-op follow up, surgeons are constantly making decisions. Your ability to make these decisions correctly and efficiently will define the quality of surgeon you become. As he’s gained maturity and experience, Dr. Benzel places much more emphasis on the decision, rather than the incision. Surgeries can be successful on the books, but leave the patient dealing with unintended consequences. He says there is an upside and a downside to everything spine surgeons do and believes they need to look at all sides of an outcome instead of getting blinded by only what’s positive.
Creating a family
Residents and surgeons in training aren’t the only ones Dr. Benzel has some advice for. He also imparted words of wisdom for those training the next generation of spine surgeons as well. After 21 years at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Benzel has seen a huge transformation in the culture of surgeon education. His philosophy is one of family. He believes that it’s important to teach residents how to support and encourage each other and those under their wing. Staff are not always available, especially at a busy hospital. The more residents can be relied on by those in training, the better the learning environment will be.