title: Presidential address, 2001. Advice to young surgeons.
abstract: In his 2001 presidential address to the Canadian Association of General Surgeons, the author offers advice to young surgeons, based on his lifetime experience as a surgical educator, researcher and practitioner. He offers the following samples of wisdom for young surgeons: they should be prepared for a lifetime of learning and be willing and able to adapt to new advances; they should listen to their patients as they describe their presenting complaints and not be tempted to interrupt; they should take time in an emergency situation and remember that split-second decisions can affect the patient for a lifetime; they should be willing to take advice from fellow professionals; they should take time to maintain a quality family life and take adequate time away from the workplace; they should be active be a role model in their community; and, finally, they should get involved and adopt an advocacy role in their profession.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. jmac@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: MacFarlane
mesh_terms: D001519:Behavior; D013502:General Surgery; D007858:Learning