Excising the “Surgeon Ego” to Accelerate Progress in the Culture of Surgery

Abstract

Surgical culture is shifting towards a more positive and humanistic culture, in part as a response to both extreme and subtle ego driven disruptive behaviours among surgeons. Accumulating evidence from both the medical and organisational sciences shows substantial negative consequences for ego driven behaviour in complex work environments such as surgery. We need more research and systematic exploration of ways to further reduce ego driven behaviour in the practice of surgery.