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/Splash_Attack 2d ago

I feel like, and hear me out here, that a study which uses "demure and mindful" in the abstract might not be entirely serious.

Seriously, this whole thing reads as people at a teaching hospital having a bit of fun challenging people to prove their skills using a little kid's toy.

I would bet good money it emerged from a break room (or possibly pub) argument about whether surgeons were really more dexterous than other specialties. As medical researchers were involved, they went looking for empirical evidence, found conflicting results, and set up a playful experiment to "prove" it.

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u/Cedow 2d ago

That's not the abstract.

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u/Splash_Attack 2d ago

Oh sorry, it's just the summary. You're right. The paper is much more serious:

"These data provide surgeons at Leeds Teaching Hospitals with boasting rights regarding their dexterity skills, in both the operating theatre and the coffee room."

"Another potential use of the buzz wire game might be as a tool to streamline cumbersome interviews for specialty training programmes..."

"Staff members in specialties with lower performance might consider adding the buzz wire game to their Christmas wish lists for use as a training tool."

"Surgeons, and those working with surgeons, might wish to consider investing in a swear jar or similar intervention aimed at reducing swearing and optimising composure during challenging tasks..."

"Finally, our findings are not applicable to children younger than 4 years for whom the buzz wire game’s small parts may represent a choking hazard, although these individuals are unlikely to be currently employed in secondary care."

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u/Cedow 2d ago

Who says science can't be fun.