Books

Surgical Metacognition

Surgical Metacognition

Smarter Decision-making for Surgeons

by Dr Uttam Shiralker

How are good decisions made? How can we optimize our decision-making? Decision-making is a key professional activity that determines surgical outcomes and has a significant effect on a surgeon’s well-being. Yet it remains woefully neglected in surgical training, to the ongoing detriment of patients, professionals and organisations.

‘Surgical Metacognition: Smarter Decision-making for Surgeons’ is a ground-breaking introduction to a new field. The book introduces surgeons to the mental processes that underpin surgical performance, and how we can use this knowledge to improve surgical practice in and outside the operating theatre.
Discover why bad decisions happen to good surgeons and how experts avoid traps to make timely decisions.
The first step, and focus of this book, is to understand ‘metacognition’ (‘thinking about thinking’) in order to improve self-awareness, decision-making and communication. With many realworld surgical examples, the book reviews the thought process of decision-making from recent research. These advances have already transformed other professions – including business management, the military, sport and aviation – and it is time for surgeons to capitalize on this knowledge, to achieve and teach better decision-making and higher levels of expertise.

Buy Paperback
Amazon
Buy eBook
Amazon
Buy Apple eBook
Barnes & Noble
Buy Paperback
AbeBooks
5 Stars
Read reviews

Reviews

“If we are to make better decisions for our patients, surgeons must understand the pitfalls in their decision making, to minimise errors that lead to adverse outcomes. From this perspective, this book is highly informative and important and all grades of surgeon should read it.”

DEREK ALDERSON, PAST PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND

“This book helped me not only understand the mental processes that underpin decision-making, but crucially, how I could use these to improve my performance both in and outside the operating theatre.”

MR JAMES CRABB, CONSULTANT VASCULAR SURGEON, UK

“This book gives a fascinating insight into surgical thinking. It is very handy for trainees, as well as invaluable for trainers. Experienced surgeons may feel that they knew some things covered, but I am sure many would struggle to put this knowledge into words as well as this book has.”

MR MIKE HALLISSEY, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND CONSULTANT GENERAL SURGEON, UK

Surgeon Heal Thyself by author Uttam Shiralker

Surgeon, Heal Thyself

Optimising Surgical Performance by Managing Stress

by Dr Uttam Shiralker

How are good decisions made? How can we optimize our decision-making? Decision-making is a key professional activity that determines surgical outcomes and has a significant effect on a surgeon’s well-being. Yet it remains woefully neglected in surgical training, to the ongoing detriment of patients, professionals and organisations.

‘Surgical Metacognition: Smarter Decision-making for Surgeons’ is a ground-breaking introduction to a new field. The book introduces surgeons to the mental processes that underpin surgical performance, and how we can use this knowledge to improve surgical practice in and outside the operating theatre.
Discover why bad decisions happen to good surgeons and how experts avoid traps to make timely decisions.
The first step, and focus of this book, is to understand ‘metacognition’ (‘thinking about thinking’) in order to improve self-awareness, decision-making and communication. With many realworld surgical examples, the book reviews the thought process of decision-making from recent research. These advances have already transformed other professions – including business management, the military, sport and aviation – and it is time for surgeons to capitalize on this knowledge, to achieve and teach better decision-making and higher levels of expertise.

Buy Paperback
Amazon
Buy eBook
Amazon
Buy Paperback
Barnes & Noble
Buy Paperback
AbeBooks
5 Stars
Read reviews

Reviews

“Our duty as surgeons is to care for our patients. This timely publication invites us to understand that integral to that duty will be the need to care for ourselves as we deal with the stresses and strains of modern surgical practice.”

Dame Clare Marx CBE DL PRCS, President, Royal College of Surgeons (2014–2017)

“Drawing on the latest research on how cognitive simulation can be used in conjunction with traditional surgical training, Uttam Shiralkar provides a timely and evidence based guide to using cognitive simulation. Detailing practical examples into how to use such techniques to improve surgical performance. This book is useful aid for surgeons at all career stages.

Professor Norman Williams, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (2011–2014)

“We know you can't operate just by reading a book. However, by reading this book, you will be able to operate better!”

Prof. John Watkinson, Head and Neck Surgeon, Birmingham, UK

“Uttam has produced a thinking surgeons book which support the belief that surgical skills can be perfected with intelligent practice.”

Prof. Pramod Luthra, Plastic surgeon, Associate Postgraduate Dean, North West England Deanery

“This book should be disseminated further within the training community, especially in the current climate of decreased exposure to operative surgery.”

Henry Ferguson, Vice President, Association of Surgeons in Training

“A very timely book that offers a reality check and puts simulation in its place alongside the needs of traditional learning.”

Professor Philip Turner, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Head of the School of Surgery, Oxford

Cognitive Simulation by author Uttam Shiralker

Cognitive Simulation

Techniques to Enhance Surgical Skills

by Dr Uttam Shiralker

Why does the quality of operative skills vary widely among surgeons?
How can we shorten the learning curve to make surgery safer?
What can you do to achieve expertise more effectively?

Cognitive simulation is a prescriptive answer to these and many other questions. Based on up to date evidence this book offers a novel approach to improve surgical performance fill stop the techniques described in this book or helpful, not just require, but also to maintain surgical skills. It offers unique insight Into the process of surgical skill development

Buy Hardback
Amazon
5 Stars
Read reviews

Reviews

“Drawing on the latest research on how cognitive simulation can be used in conjunction with traditional surgical training, Uttam Shiralkar provides a timely and evidence based guide to using cognitive simulation. Detailing practical examples into how to use such techniques to improve surgical performance. This book is useful aid for surgeons at all career stages.

Professor Norman Williams, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (2011–2014)

“We know you can't operate just by reading a book. However, by reading this book, you will be able to operate better!”

Prof. John Watkinson, Head and Neck Surgeon, Birmingham, UK

“Uttam has produced a thinking surgeons book which support the belief that surgical skills can be perfected with intelligent practice.”

Prof. Pramod Luthra, Plastic surgeon, Associate Postgraduate Dean, North West England Deanery

“This book should be disseminated further within the training community, especially in the current climate of decreased exposure to operative surgery.”

Henry Ferguson, Vice President, Association of Surgeons in Training

“A very timely book that offers a reality check and puts simulation in its place alongside the needs of traditional learning.”

Professor Philip Turner, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Head of the School of Surgery, Oxford

Smart Surgeons by author Uttam Shiralker

Smart Surgeons Sharp Decisions

Cognitive Skills to Avoid Errors and Achieve Results

by Dr Uttam Shiralker

A vital question for all surgeons: how can we make surgery safer? Is it by tightening regulations and imposing rigid protocols or by empowering surgeons with the resources to help them make safer decisions? This is the book for those who choose the second option.

What makes a surgeon “smart”? And why, despite knowledge and experience, do surgeons still make mistakes? The answer is the same for both questions: decision-making, an art at the heart of surgery that separates excellent from poor surgical performance.

Although a vital professional activity, surgeons are generally not aware of how to develop and optimise decision-making skills. ‘Smart Surgeons, Sharp Decisions’ reveals how to build these skills, by understanding and applying the findings from decision science that surgeons, irrespective of specialty or seniority, can apply to everyday practice. Such knowledge has already significantly improved aviation safety for decades.

Buy Paperback
Amazon
Buy eBook
Amazon
Buy Paperback
Barnes & Noble
Buy Paperback
AbeBooks
5 Stars
Read reviews

Reviews

“It is evident that only a surgeon, in having the necessary insight into surgeons functioning, could have written this book.”

Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA)

“If intelligence is the ability to adapt in the light of experience this book is a tool to help that process.”

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery

“This book is the key for surgeons who are looking for operating with maximal safety and achieving their best surgical performance.”

Journal of College of Surgeons of Hong Kong

“This book should be a standard text.”

Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

“This is an inspiring book. Great value for surgeon at any stage of training, weather novice or part time, or retired.”

The Journal of Laryngology and Otology

“This book is about understanding that there is a great deal to being a surgeon, more than knowledge alone. It is a framework to get the best out of themselves everyday through triumph and adversity.”

Jonathan Earnshaw, Editor-in-chief, British Journal of Surgery

“This book offers an uncommon insight into the functioning of a surgeon.”

The Journal of Laryngology and OtologySujay Shad, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, New Delhi