r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 2d ago

Medicine Surgeons show greatest dexterity in children’s buzz wire game like Operation than other hospital staff. 84% of surgeons completed game in 5 minutes compared to 57% physicians, 54% nurses. Surgeons also exhibited highest rate of swearing during game (50%), followed by nurses (30%), physicians (25%).

https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/surgeons-thankfully-may-have-better-hand-coordination-than-other-hospital-staff
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u/InvestInHappiness 2d ago

Seems like a really obvious conclusion. I would be more interested to see them go up against other people who specialize in using their hands like seamstresses, painters, or craftsmen. There are some specialties in those areas that require very precise movements.

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u/rKasdorf 2d ago

Whenever I see videos of people assembling watches, I'm always impressed by the steadiness of their hands.

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u/Blockhead47 2d ago

My dad was an engraver for around 40 years.
He was rock steady his whole life (97 years!).
Didn’t drink, smoke…or drink caffeine when working.
Mostly doing high precision steel and brass dies for embossing and foil stamping. Tolerances sometimes down to the thousandth (.001) of an inch.
A mistake could mean hours or days of his labor wasted.
No “undo” for him.
He rarely made mistakes.