What is your surgeon's personality like? Does it matter?

I chose mine, by the soonest availability. I had coworkers and friends that had, had the surgery and said pick this one or that one. But, none had ever had my surgeon, because he practiced at 2 of our hospitals about 2 hours away. I figured he wouldn't be working for our system if he wasn't good at what he does. He ended up having a good personality, but I chose him sight unseen.

I would likely not want a surgeon at a comedy club and likewise I wouldn't want a comedian doing my surgery.

go for skill not personality, they are not going to be your best friend.

there were 5 surgeons in the group that i chose 3 females, 2 males, i was given the one that had the soonest opening. he was the nicest surgeon ever! very quiet, listens to all my questions, very professional, very caring. He is also friends w/my ENT doc (i have a history of tongue cancer) & he knows my ob-gyn & plastic surgeon so that really helps alot.

dreamer1234, you really had your bases covered with the doctors all being friends and treating you!

Personality was an afterthought. Skill was all that mattered for me. Turned out he had a good personality but a lousy bedside manner. But a brilliant cutter.

I have a current doctor - hand surgeon. I really don't like his personality but he's a great surgeon (BTW I like his PA so I'm OK).

Janet P., you and several others here have really helped me with setting a goal of researching the surgeon's skill and outcomes. As long as he/she is proficient and has a goal of helping me long-term, that makes me feel better. I'm researching the program's success rate too. Boy, there is a lot to know in this process!

Thanks everyone!

I care most about skill. I am extremely blessed that my doctor has a very caring and personable personality. He has a great bedside manner. I love his staff and really like his NP in particular.

I've known a lot of cruddy doctors through being my grandparents caretaker. They not only had a bad personality but did not care to do what they should've done. Skill is something I care about more than personality but personality can also be just as detrimental as a bad doctor. One doctor told us my grandpa had leukemia but it's no big deal since he was old. "It's just cancer of the blood...no big deal".

Oh Melody P., that's just an awful thing for your grandpa's doctor to say. I don't like hearing those kinds of things. My own mother was given samples (by her own doctor) of a medication that ended up killing her, and someone at the hospital was overheard saying well at least she was almost 75, so it's not so bad. I wasn't there at the time, but it was devastating to hear. I'm sorry you had cruddy doctors too.. you all are helping me to not pick a cruddy surgeon!

I went to 3 seminars. The last one was a small guy, of Asian descent, who was all business/cussed like a sailor/had been a General Surgeon, for 30 yrs, before going into Bariatrics/ had the most beautiful small, graceful hands...I was comfortable, that those hand would be skillful...

I watched his hands, throughout the seminar...It was like his hands "danced"...Then he said "Anyone can *UCK your surgery up, if you don't do YOUR part. I am a Surgeon, not God"...

I sent in my application, that very day

Wow, that is a very interesting story! I've never heard anything like that, but it sure makes sense. I'm guessing he's retired, but what honesty to admit he's only a surgeon, not God, and so much depended on you doing your part.