How surgical rituals enhance surgical science

1. Although OR rituals seem to be anomalous with clinical training, they are adaptive and necessary for the performance of scientific and clinical roles and, in particular, the practice of surgery. 2. Surgical rituals maintain order, stability, and predictability while increasing the autonomy of the surgical staff to perform their clinical roles, which are based on scientific principles. 3. To remain scientific, clinicians must continuously question, test, and abandon outdated practices and accept new practices based on empirical knowledge.