The art of mentoring in surgery is as valuable as the act of healing. The introduction of the 80-hour workweek for interns and residents, the effects of managed care, diminishing reimbursements and fewer academic faculty members are all factors that have altered the training of surgeons to the point where critical information is now conveyed via hurried questions directed at harried teachers on the run. And regrettably, in the rush, much valuable information is not being transmitted at all. To bridge that gap, the Portable Surgical Mentor is a written record of some of the most basic and essential information that medical students and residents need but that is no longer passed down due to the time constraints and related challenges of contemporary medicine. This book is a guide to the day-to-day processes of the intern and resident in surgery, and it covers everything from appropriate dress, communication skills, and OR etiquette to how to participate and present in clinics and rounds, document patient care and effectively carry out "call" responsibilities.