Feb 22, 2023
SSAT Mentor of the Month Interview
January 30, 2023
4 PM EST / 3 PM CST
Host: Linda Qu, MD
Interviewee: Rebecca Minter, MD
Topic: Surgical Culture
1. Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room,
which is that many people – medical students, colleagues in other
specialties – still view surgery as having an intimidating,
malignant culture, which often influences how they interact with
our field. Do you think this view is justified, and if so, what can
we do to reform or dispel it?
2. Leaders set the tone of any workplace. As chair,
how do you “brand” your department, specifically as it relates to
department culture?
3. On any team, there will be differing personalities
and individual priorities. How do you generate buy-in from faculty
towards promoting a healthy culture? Have you ever encountered
resistance?
4. What advice would you give if someone is witness to
or the subject of a toxic interaction? As chair, how have you
handled these issues?
5. Culture is set at any level of the totem pole.
Trainees often learn habits and behaviors by example of their
faculty, but students and residents also learn from each other. How
can we coach trainees to themselves lead by example?
6. In closing – if you can describe the ideal surgical
culture in 3 words, what would they be?