Stage, Cut, Investigate, Regret, Heal

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Surgical Education
• Professional Development

Background:

• Regret is a common moral experience in surgery.
• Understanding the impact of regret on surgeons is crucial for professional development.
• The distinction between types of regret is not well-defined in surgical contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To differentiate between constructive and destructive regret in surgical professionalization.
• To explore the impact of these regret types on surgeons' decision-making and well-being.
• To provide recommendations for managing regret to foster professional growth.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of moral experiences in surgical training.
• Literature review on regret and professional development.
• Conceptual framework development for classifying regret.

Main Results:

• Constructive regret promotes self-reflection and learning.
• Destructive regret leads to emotional withdrawal and impaired judgment.
• A tipping point exists where regret transitions from beneficial to harmful.

Conclusions:

• Effective management of surgical regret is vital for nurturing professional formation.
• Colleagues and organizations play a key role in supporting surgeons experiencing regret.
• Recognizing and addressing destructive regret can prevent negative impacts on surgical practice.