#1: BSIK

After starting my career at “Man’s Greatest Hospital” for 9 years, I worked at a top free-standing cancer centers for another 9 years, and then moved to new medical center a few years ago. On my last day of patient clinic at the cancer center, my clinic staff threw me a small lunch party in the work room. This party included some cake and gifts. One of the gifts was a coffee mug with “BSIK” in large bold letters. As you may have figured out, BSIK stands for Best Surgeon I Know. This comes from numerous conversations I had with patients in that clinic; patients who often were recently diagnosed with cancer and who were looking for a surgeon. For the patients who were not shopping around, I generally would discuss the diagnosis, treatment plan including surgery, and recovery. For the patients who were shopping around, a common statement I would make was: “I’m the best surgeon I know. If your surgeon does not tell you that he or she is the best surgeon they know, you should find another surgeon.”

I’m a surgical oncologist that treats two uncommon cancers often with big operations. I did my general surgical residency and surgical oncology fellowship at what many consider to be the top programs in the country. I have been an attending surgeon at institutions that rank among the top 10 cancer centers in US News and World Report. I have travelled across the world to learn how to operate from world-renown surgeons. One lesson for residents, fellows, and junior attendings: learn how to operate like one of the best surgeons you know. Another lesson: your patients are worried about dying from cancer; they (and you) need to be confident that you are the right surgeon.

When I was a general surgery intern, my chief resident (now the chief of cardiac surgery at a major center) asked another underperforming intern: “Would you want you taking care of you?’ Unfortunately, the answer from the intern was “No.”