NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH

If you want to be a doctor, are curious as to what happens in the O.R., are considering/have to have a procedure or just have a sick fascination with this sort of thing, you might want to check out this article from Wired.

The magazine has gathered some of YouTube's best surgical videos, readily available along with many others. But be warned ("VERY forewarned," as Wired puts it):
this is graphic stuff, and not for the faint of heart.

Personally, seeing surgery has never really bothered me. After all, it would be weird if I got weak around blood given my job. I have been known to stop on the "surgery channel" as I affectionately call it when Discovery shows this kind of stuff on TV. I particularly like it when my brother, who can't even talk about blood, is in the room.

Maybe it is because I am really awed by some of the things doctors and surgeons can do, or maybe it is because I really want to get my muffin tops sucked out (yes, it has a lipo video). In any case, if you are into this kind of thing, it is pretty interesting, especially the sex change operation which I have always been curious about (admit it - you are too).

The larger question is whether this is a step int he right direction. I have to say that I think it is, given that more education is always preferable to ignorance. However, I can see a downside to this. One situation I can think of is perhaps someone who is considering an elective procedure that is not 100% necessary, but could be incredibly beneficial. Watching a video that shows the procedure could sway someone less naturally inclined to take an interest in this stuff to not get the surgery. But really, elective surgery is rarely "elective" to the patient, so that is really hard to envision happening.

In any case, pretty cool that you can see how surgeons do what they do, and it certainly gives me a new respect for their skills...not that I ever doubted them. After all, God bless the man that can get me back into 32-inch jeans.