Despite surgeons’ extensive training, best efforts and good intentions, some of their patients have poor outcomes. When they do, surgeons usually get few, if any, formal or structured opportunities to reflect upon their regret, come to peace with it and make use of it to improve their practices.
The March issue of AMA Journal of Ethics® (@JournalofEthics) investigates regret as an expression of a surgeon’s moral psychological development and their deep internalization of the capacity to harm. It also considers how we should regard regret and its kindred moral emotions—loss, grief, remorse, shame, guilt—in surgical life, training and practice.
The AMA Journal of Ethics is an editorially independent, peer-reviewed journal devoted to helping students and clinicians navigate ethical decisions in service to patients and communities. The March issue of the journal includes the following articles.
“How Should Senior Surgeons Help Junior Colleagues and Trainees Experiencing Regret?”
- Navigating regret experiences with support from mentors and peers is essential for surgeon well-being, a healthy surgical culture and optimal patient care.
“Experiencing and Coping With Regret After a Patient’s Poor Outcome.”
- This article considers how the AMA Code of Medical Ethics can support physicians while they cope with regret about a patient’s poor outcome.
“Should Surgeons Share Experiences of Regret With Patients?”
- Expressing regret to patients requires transparent and honest communication, but can leave surgeons vulnerable.
“What Are Organizations’ Responsibilities When Surgeons Experience Regret?”
- This article suggests how organizations can help surgeons experiencing regret and help sustain their impulses to practice.
Listen and learn
The journal’s March “Ethics Talk” podcast features a conversation with Kinnon MacKinnon, PhD, MSW, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at York University, in Ontario, Canada, about what we know about regret experiences of patients following transition-related care and, just as importantly, what we don’t.
The March issue also features eight author-interview podcasts and one editorial-fellow-interview podcast. Listen to previous episodes of the “Ethics Talk” podcast or subscribe in iTunes or other services.
Also, CME modules drawn from this month’s issue are collected at the AMA Ed Hub™ AMA Journal of Ethics webpage.
The next issue of the journal will focus on surgical care of incarcerated patients. Apply to be an AMA Journal of Ethics editorial fellow or senior editorial fellow and design a theme issue with us.
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