A surgeon’s life is defined by long hours, exacting focus, and countless critical decisions that impact the lives of others. They go through years of training to develop a stamina that can sustain the deepest, complex pressures. But just like the rest of us, they rely on small rituals and routines to keep their days steady, mind sharp, and energy plugging along.
In Routine Procedures, we’re taking a closer look at the daily habits—from breakfast choices to favorite shoes—that shape our surgeons’ work and life.
Pre-Dawn Planner and Coffee for Breakfast
Abe Krikhely, MD
Chief of Minimally Invasive Surgery and Bariatric Surgery
What time does your alarm go off in the morning?
Way too early, 4:45am, and that's if the baby doesn’t wake me up first.
Snooze or no snooze?
Sometimes
Breakfast of choice (especially before a big day)?
Eh. Dr. Guzman likes his breakfast [motions to colleague Francisco Guzman, MD]. I’ve seen him do steak in the morning.
First thing you do when you get to work:
Coffee
Do you have any pre-op rituals or routines?
I walk in and I say that it’s going to be great. I like to frame that mindset for myself and for everyone in the room. No matter how hard it’s going to be or whatever may come, I start with that lens.
Is there music in your OR?
Usually not. But if I do, it’s usually classic rock, or whatever the genre is of Coldplay.
Favorite shoes for long days standing in the OR:
Crocs
Favorite part of your day:
I love being in the OR. I also love coming home to my kids.
What’s always in your lab coat pocket or bag?
My cell phone
Any non-medical habit that helps you stay focused?
I guess meditation, but I’m not sitting there like ohm. I’m just listening to music and meditating.
Most underrated part of your job:
I guess all of it is underrated these days. People don’t have a sense of the amount of effort it takes to get to this point, and the amount of work it takes to stay on top of your game. You see the five minutes it takes to do something, but not the 10,000 hours it took to be able to do those five minutes.
When you finally get home, what’s the first thing you do?
Hug my kids.
If one of your patients saw you outside the hospital, they’d be surprised to see you…
I’d be surprised if they recognized me because I just look like any other guy.
More routines:
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Chief of Breast Surgery
John Chabot, MD
Chief of GI/Endocrine Surgery
Executive Director of the Pancreas Center