I wonder …
Confession. I listen to Lady Gaga in the operating room.
Except when I do a facelift.
Contrary to popular belief, the operating room is not a quiet, intense place where all you hear is the beeping of the anesthesia machine and an occasional grunt from the surgeon. Most ORs are filled with music – classical, country, pop, rock, heavy metal, even hard-core gangster rap.
The few studies that have analyzed the effects of music in the OR found that music generally has a positive influence on a surgeon’s performance. President Bill Clinton must have known this when he requested music by Jimmy Buffett and Lyle Lovett for his tendon repair surgery in 1997.
Does it matter what type of music your surgeon plays? Apparently.
A study published in “Surgical Endoscopy” last year found that classical music affected surgeons more positively than hard rock or heavy metal. Another study published by “Surgical Innovation” named hip-hop and reggae the music that most benefited surgeons’ performances.
It probably comes down to taste, with surgeons finding comfort and inspiration working to the music they like to hear. And music doesn’t just affect doctors.
I really would prefer to have a say in what music I’m hearing … at least until I’m conked out!
