Everything Old is New Again: Applying the Lessons from Halsted's Life and Work to Today's Surgical Landscape

The name of Dr William Halsted is synonymous with innovation and excellence in surgery. The life of Dr Halsted, although known for both accomplishments and personal challenges, continues to provide valuable insight as to how we, as 21^st century surgeons, might best address today's surgical challenges. The following manuscript details some of the ways in which Dr Halsted's life and teachings provide important lessons that remain relevant even today. Few names in surgery are as well-known as that of Dr William Halsted. Halsted is generally regarded as one of the most, if not the most innovative and influential surgeon in history. His life story and his many contributions to the field surgery have been the subject of numerous manuscripts, books, and Presidential addresses. In addition to his many contributions to surgical science, Halsted is credited with the development of the structure of the modern surgical residency program. Now, despite the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of surgery, many of Halsted's teachings remain applicable today. In fact, one could argue that many of the challenges faced in surgery today are due to a departure from these principles as they were originally described. In the following discussion, the teachings of Halsted will be explored and the Halsted philosophy applied to propose solutions for today's modern surgical challenges.