As a CC4 on an elective surgical rotation I was in an OR for a very large abdominal aneurysm. Naturally the surgery was very complicated and I stood on the sidelines watching until the very end, at which point my staff asked me how my suturing skills were. Having been told previously that they were exemplary, and trying to appear confident, I replied “excellent” and he invited me to scrub in and close the skin. It was a big moment and I was feeling proud, diligently performing a running subcuticular suture the full length of the incision. Unfortunately my sutures were not “excellent” and when I had almost finished, the surgeon inspected and told me I needed to take it all out and start again. I was mortified. It was after midnight and the scrub nurse, the anesthesiologist and a fellow elective clerk all groaned. I was mortified. By the time I was done, the patient’s skin was bruised, the closure looked terrible and all I wanted to do was hide under the drapes. Takeaway point, always be humble. I should have instead said “I’ve been told they’re good, but I’m always looking to improve, will you give me some feedback as I go?” Humility is not weakness.

– PGY3