Connections: February 2023 - 2

> JUST ONE QUESTION
WHAT'S
ON YOUR
PLAYLIST?
Music in the operating room isn't a new
phenomenon, but the practice got a bit
of attention recently with a study from
Germany that showed that surgeons' speed
and accuracy could be increased if they
cranked up some heavy metal from AC/DC.
And the streaming service Spotify has an
" Operating Room Ultimate Playlist " more
than 600 songs deep, with selections from
across many popular musical genres. (Both
of these proving once again that you can't
make this stuff up.)
Surgeons can be divided on the issue ...
while many have their go-to playlists, some
choose quiet in the OR. One Dartmouth
Health surgeon told us that music choices
for the OR can spark discussion among
the team but that, for them, ultimately
it comes down to music that helps to
sharpen focus and " zero in on the task. "
From Vivaldi to Velvet Revolver, from
country to contemporary, musical tastes
are subjective. We polled a few Dartmouth
Health surgeons to see what's on the
playlist when they're in the OR. For your
listening pleasure ... >>
" My strategy is to play mellow music-soft rock and pop-
for patients who are awake under local anesthesia, and
play heavier stuff like heavy metal and dubstep for those
who are asleep under general anesthesia. Some of my
awake patients request particular genres, and I'm happy
to accommodate if I have it on my iPod. "
- Paul C. Bettinger, MD, (also known as " DJ Doc
of Rock " ) orthopedic/hand surgeon, Cheshire
Medical Center
" I do enjoy music in the OR. It can set the mood and
tone for the OR team, and anything with a good
rhythm will keep the entire team in sync. I am a child of
the '80s so, for me, music from the '80s and early '90s
is my first choice. Even better if I can sing along with it! "
- Catherine A. Schneider, MD, general surgeon,
Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center
" Growing up in Southern California, we used to have a
radio station, 94.7 The Wave, that played smooth jazz
(like Boney James). My mom used to play this all the
time, and now I find it very soothing and relaxing. Plus,
there are no lyrics, so no one sings. It puts everyone in
the room in a relaxed mood. "
- Rian M. Hasson, MD, MPH, thoracic surgeon, DHMC
Got
photo?
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, we
had no idea how transformative it would be.
Three years later, many of us are still working
remotely, or in a hybrid model. In the upcoming
issue of Connections, we'd like to show what
your work-at-home space looks like. Neat as a
pin? Messy? Totally feng shui? A window with
a view? Send a photo of your workspace to
connections@dartmouth-health.org.
In our new digital format, we can share
lots of great examples.
" I have quite a range ... and my tastes evolve. If no
one on the team is offended, I will sometimes go
with rap from the 2000s, like Cypress Hill, Dr. Dre or
Eminem, and sometimes go with '90s rock like Red
Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Nirvana or the Pixies.
And if anyone is faint of heart, I always go with
classic rock. "
- Sean D. Bears, MD, general surgeon,
New London Hospital, DHMC
" You really can't pin me down ... I've got Talking
Heads, Love and Rockets, The Cure and The Police,
but I also have a goodly amount of Eminem, Cake,
Green Day and Vampire Weekend. What makes my
playlist? It has to have a good beat and usually be
something I can sing to ... "
- Frances D. Faro, MD, orthopedic surgeon,
New London Hospital, DHMC, Alice Peck Day

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dubstep https://www.cheshiremed.org/find-provider/provider/350 https://djdocofrock.com/ https://djdocofrock.com/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35332368/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35332368/ https://www.acdc.com/ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3oQ612OR3omBr3uTyIJCtU https://www.mtascutneyhospital.org/find-provider/provider/3025 https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/findaprovider/provider/2603/Rian-M-Hasson https://www.newlondonhospital.org/find-provider/provider/1463 https://www.newlondonhospital.org/find-provider/provider/3254

Connections: February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Connections: February 2023