My surgery rotation was at St Francis Hospital in Roslyn. I was very pleasantly surprised by my experience here, mainly attributed to how all of the staff are so supportive and willing to teach. The environment is conducive to learning because the PAs/surgeons are quick to give positive reinforcement for a job well done. I had the opportunity to scrub into various cases, including general surgery, breast cases, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, gynecology. I also got to observe many robotic cases, which was so fascinating to see how surgery has transitioned to being so minimally invasive. I found a lot of joy in the plastic surgery cases. During a breast reduction, I was able to close the underside of the left breast and got a lot of practice with different suturing techniques.

The most challenging aspect of this rotation was orienting to laparoscopic anatomy. It appears very different than in images and textbooks, and even open surgeries. I found it very helpful to use Touch Surgery to watch videos of the laparoscopic operations before going in.

Overall, I am grateful for the opportunities in the OR as well as on the floor. I hope to use the skills I’ve acquired on this rotation on my next rotation, LTC at The VA.

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