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Dr. Andrew Brunswick, a neurosurgeon at Kaiser Permanente in LA, joins us on the podcast to discuss the psychological challenges and culture in surgery. In this episode, we cover:

• The culture Andrew experienced while working on Wall Street
• The problem with getting stuck on the hedonic treadmill
• The power of the word "enough"
• Why satisfaction is a decision available to all of us at every moment
• Parallels between athletes and surgeons
• The psychological challenges of training in neurosurgery
• Navigating difficult conversations and the human tendency to self-blame after surgical complications
• How surgery culture addresses complications and mistakes
• The slippery slope of feeling like we owe our patients our lives
• The perils of perfectionism
• Reflecting on the kind of surgeon we would want if we were patients
• Self-care and balance during residency and beyond
• Making Mom proud in the OR
• The power of being courteous, patient, respectful, and empathetic
• How focusing on “What if?” can drain joy from the job
• The importance of modeling emotional intelligence and resilience
• Why protecting the asset is not the same as protecting the ego or being lazy
• How being salaried can reduce subconscious bias in decision-making