Avoiding pitfalls: lessons in surgical teaching.

Becoming a good surgical educator takes time, patience, and dedication. Providing effective feedback is essential to improving the mentee's surgical skills. The operating room is a costly, high-risk classroom. Residents must come to the operating room prepared. Using a surgical skills laboratory can help in that preparation but is only effective when feedback is given regarding performance. While in the operating room, the attending physician must constantly direct, critique, and actively teach.