Many consultants of today learnt their skills by volume by ‘practicing’ on patients. Basic Surgical Skills were acquired and rarely taught. Many a trainer, when asked how they executed a specific task will not be able to deconstruct the actions into set up, posture, instrument handling, angles etc. They will when it is explained i.e., the tacit is made explicit. Surgery is a motor skill that must be learnt through practice. The acquisition of motor skills and the principles are well documented especially in sport. The theory and practice of coaching all athletes at every level involves an understanding of the fundamentals of movement and ergonomics. The practice of surgery, like all sports, requires the application of the same principles. It is important to deconstruct the movements and explain ergonomics required to achieve the action. It is this understanding and rehearsal or these movements that will cultivate and reinforce a motor memory. The 10 000 hours needed to become an expert can be helped in the early stages of training with deliberate practice and observation by a skilled trainer. BBASS offers a framework of understanding and provides models for deliberate practice.

There is however more to surgery than motor skills. Mindset, preparation, and clarity of thinking are of paramount importance. Again, sport coaches will get players to visualise the movement. True champions transcend the noise and bring focus to tasks even when under pressure.

These simple principles have been employed in the instruction of the martial arts for thousands of years. The power and flow are achieved with an attention to the practice of the deconstructed movements with stillness of the mind. Surgery has a lot to learn from these disciplines.

The first thing to attend to is correctness of thinking, communicating, and doing. BBASS aims to attend to all these things to better surgeons of today and tomorrow for the benefit of our patients.

BBASS wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year. We have several guest speakers lined up throughout the year to challenge your thinking and encourage you to practice.