Ergonomics for surgical trainees with Dr. Andrew Gabrielson

Dr. Andrew Gabrielson is currently a chief resident at the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.  He has a longstanding interest in surgical ergonomics and the study of work-related injury among physicians and surgeons. He previously served on the board of directors and co-chair of the IT/communications committee of the Society of Surgical Ergonomics.  Dr. Gabrielson is headed to Chicago next year for his fellowship in pediatric urology at Northwestern/Lurie Children’s Hospital In this episode Dr. Gabrielson- Shares his personal journey, including how he became interested in surgical ergonomics- Sheds light on the culture of surgery, where individuals delay seeking care for injuries - Highlights that 70-90% of surgical trainees report having musculoskeletal symptoms within the past year, and that 30-40% of injuries are moderate to severe- Emphasizes that trainees from all levels are affected, and that both physical and cognitive ergonomics matter in procedural spaces- Provides resources for trainees to learn about ergonomics i.e. the American College of Surgeons' Ergonomics Taskforce recommendations, the SSE website and various articles- Introduces the concept of an Ergonomics Timeout and how trainees can take the initiative to set up things in the OR- Shares tips for urologists to optimize ergonomics for cystoscopyYou can connect with Dr. Gabrielson on X/Twitter: @UroGabe  or Blue Sky: urogabe.bsky.socialFollow Surgical Ergonomics on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube please reach out to us if you have any suggestions regarding episode ideas and guests or if you'd like to be a guest on the podcastIf you found this episode valuable, please share it with a colleague or your perioperative team to help bring greater awareness to the role of ergonomics in career longevity. If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd be grateful if you left a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help others discover the show and support our mission of improving the health and longevity of surgeons and proceduralists worldwide.