Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast cover art

Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast

Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast

By: Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast
Listen for free

About this listen

 Behind the Knife is the world’s #1 surgery podcast. From high-yield educational topics to interviews with leaders in the field, Behind the Knife delivers the information you need to know. Tune in for timely, relevant, and engaging content designed to help you DOMINATE THE DAY!

Behind the Knife is more than a podcast. Visit www.behindtheknife.org to learn more. Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease Science
Episodes
  • Unlocking the How and Why: Qualitative Research in Surgery

    Unlocking the How and Why: Qualitative Research in Surgery
    Mar 2 2026

    In surgery, when we think of research, often we picture randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and big data sets. But have you ever considered what we might miss by limiting our research programs to quantitative inquiry? What if you want to understand the culture or identity of your department or your training program? Or, what If you want to understand the values, priorities, and lived experiences of your patients? Some of the most meaningful insights about how we teach, learn, and practice surgery come from talking to people. Their words, their stories, and their experiences, and that's where qualitative research comes in. In this episode we dive into the “why” and “how” of qualitative research with leaders in the space, Professor Nicole Perez and Dr. Maya Hunt.

    Host:

    1. Steven Thornton, MD (General Surgery Resident at Duke University)
    Guests:
    1. Nicole Perez (Assistant Professor of Medical Education, University of Illinois Chicago)
    2. Maya Hunt (General Surgery Resident, Indiana University)
    Publications Discussed:
    1. Bosk CL. Forgive and Remember: Managing Medical Failure. The University of ChicagoPress; 2011.
    2. Liang et al 2019 Why do women leave surgical training? A qualitative and feminist study, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32612-6
    3. Jenkins TM. Doctors’ Orders: the Making of Status Hierarchies in an Elite Profession. Columbia University Press; 2020.
    4. Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006


    ***Fellowship Application Link: https://forms.gle/QSUrR2GWHDZ1MmWC6

    Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.
    If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen
    Behind the Knife Premium:
    General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-review
    Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlas
    Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkship
    Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotation
    Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-review
    Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Download our App:
    Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049
    Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US
    Show More Show Less
    38 mins
  • USA vs. UK: ASGBI Ep. 8 - The Anatomy of Promoting Surgical Quality: Structure, Process, and Outcomes

    USA vs. UK: ASGBI Ep. 8 - The Anatomy of Promoting Surgical Quality: Structure, Process, and Outcomes
    Feb 26 2026

    Surgical quality is a term that is often thrown around in surgical practice. We have multiple quality improvement projects, metrics and benchmarks that motivate us to do better, and of course the ever expanding patient reviews to possibly “reflect” the type of surgical care provided. But what does quality actually mean? What metrics can we use to understand the type of care being provided by ourselves, our colleagues, and the health system at large.

    Today, we delve into these questions to understand how quality is currently understood within surgery and how we hope it to evolve in the future. Joining BTK fellow Agnes Premkumar and ASGBI hosts Jared Wohlgemut and Gita Lingam are two fantastic guests - Dr. Mark Cheetham, joining us from the UK, has deep experience in national audits and system-level quality improvement. Dr. Cheetham is a colorectal surgeon and the National Clinical Lead for General Surgery at the Getting it Right First Time Programme in NHS England, or GIRFT. Dr. Alexander Perez is representing the US; he is a board-certified general surgeon and minimally invasive surgeon at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center. He has worked extensively with institutional quality programs and is the current assistant Dean for patient safety, simulation, and process improvement at the Baylor College of Medicine.

    Resources:

    1. Institute for Healthcare Improvement: https://www.ihi.org/library/tools/quality-improvement-essentials-toolkit
    2. NSQIP: https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/data-and-registries/acs-nsqip/
    3. Getting it right first time (UK): https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/

    ***Fellowship Application Link: https://forms.gle/QSUrR2GWHDZ1MmWC6

    Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.
    If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen
    Behind the Knife Premium:
    General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-review
    Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlas
    Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkship
    Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotation
    Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-review
    Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Download our App:
    Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049
    Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • Journal Review in Surgical Education: A Perfect Match

    Journal Review in Surgical Education: A Perfect Match
    Feb 23 2026
    The Match. Two words that define the trajectory of every physician’s career in the United States. But how does the algorithm actually work, and who is looking out for the applicants navigating this high-stakes process? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Donna Lamb, President and CEO of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), to pull back the curtain on one of medicine’s most consequential systems.
    Dr. Lamb unpacks the strengths and limitations of the match algorithm and shares her candid advice on overapplication, post-interview communication, and dual applying. She also addresses the growing financial burden on applicants, challenges facing international medical graduates amid shifting visa restrictions, and recent congressional scrutiny into the match algorithm’s antitrust exemption.
    Join hosts Pooja Varman, MD, Judith French, PhD, and Jeremy Lipman, MD, MHPE for this conversation about the system that shapes the future of medicine—and the people working to make it more equitable, transparent, and efficient.
    Learning Objectives
    By the end of this episode, listeners will be able to
    1. Explain how the NRMP match algorithm work and describe both its strengths and potential areas for reform.
    2. Identify key match policies and best practices for applicants and programs.
    3. Discuss the challenges applicants face in the match and the NRMP’s role in supporting equitable access.

    References
    1. Roth AE. The Origins, History, and Design of the Resident Match. JAMA. 2003;289(7):909-912. doi:10.1001/jama.289.7.909
    2. Lamb D. Letter to the Medical Education Community. Published online December 8, 2025. Accessed January 7, 2026. https://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Dec8_Letter-to-Community_JudiciarySubcommittee-FINAL-PDF.pdf

    ***Fellowship Application Link: https://forms.gle/QSUrR2GWHDZ1MmWC6

    Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.
    If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen
    Behind the Knife Premium:
    General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-review
    Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlas
    Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkship
    Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotation
    Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-review
    Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-review
    Download our App:
    Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049
    Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.