The funnest video game ever!

As some of you may know, my operating experience has hit some recent highs.  Last week I did a right colon as first assist (I could barely breath the whole time from both excitement and total nervousness) and it was one of the most amazing things I've ever done in my life!!  However, despite my constant excitement over my increasing operating responsibilities I still felt a dread for laparoscopic surgery.  My biggest worry in becoming a surgeon was that I would hate laparoscopic surgery and be unemployed since everything is heading in that direction.  As a medical student "driving the camera" is by far the most painful job ever, the camera is never right, its dark, you're standing in some weird contorted position, and if someone is struggling it just gets long and tortuous.  Well this week I had my first try at flexing my laparoscopic muscle and . . . its freakin' awesome!

Just to ease any concern, my laparoscopic debut was not in a patient.  Allowing me to blindly stick hot sharp stuff through some holes in someones belly at this stage would be a bit premature.  However, in a very real appearing setting, I got to do a laparoscopic splenectomy and it was like playing the funnest video game ever!  There is so much strategy involved at every stage, from placing the ports to instrument choice, where to go first. It takes lots of visualization and planning.  I LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT.  Now I can feel much better about all the hours I've spent in the past procrastinating on my playstation!