Developing the academic thoracic surgeon: teaching surgery.

Teaching surgery can be a very gratifying experience for those of us involved in academic thoracic surgery. Fundamentals of a good residency program require that patients should always be placed in the highest priority. However, the residency program should also be committed to teaching as a priority. Creating the proper operating room environment is essential for optimal conduct of the operation. This environment is similar to that of the airline industry, which is known as crew or cockpit resource management. The design of a teaching program needs to have evaluation as one of its key elements. In addition to resident evaluation, it is also important to have faculty evaluation by the residents. The goal of any residency program should be to foster the development of the future leaders in our specialty. The information contained within this article represents the art and science of teaching thoracic surgery as applied by the faculty in the Division of Cardiac Surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.