Surgical Ethics First, Do No Harm

In this episode, we interviewed Dr. Amendola, Chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, about the role of ethics within surgery and explore a few ethical scenarios surgeons face that differ from other fields of medicine. We discuss the importance of informed consent, patient-centered decision-making, and navigating the unique bond between patient and surgeon in a historically paternalistic field. Surgeons often do not discuss ethics despite encountering difficult decisions that frequently require the use of ethical principles, especially those of autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. We reflect with Dr. Amendola on how the field can improve on its discussion of surgical ethics and the importance of training the next generation of healthcare professionals to learn about these issues.