I am so STRESSED in the OR!! Tara Costello and Caitlin Champion on Mindfulness in Surgery

 Sometimes our own minds can be our worst enemies when trying to perform at the highest level. Instead of focusing on your next pass, the next note you have to play, or the bleeder you have to control, you instead spend your time thinking about how bad you are or how stressed you are.

 In this episode we spoke with Dr. Caitlin Champion and Tara Costello on mindfulness and mental awareness. Caitlin and Tara have developed a mindfulness course for surgeons called mSOAR (Mindfulness Superpower of Attention Regime) that is being offered through the Canadian Association of General Surgeons. 

 This was a really important conversation for surgeons on how we can train our minds to allow us to bring our fullest selves to our jobs and to our lives!

 Bio:

 Tara Costello (www.aheadinthegame.ca) is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, Certified Mindfulness Facilitator and behaviour change specialist focused on strengthening habits for performance excellence and personal well-being. She has 30 years of experience working with athletes, coaches and professionals to help strengthen their mental performance for over 30 years. 

Dr Cait Champion is a rural General Surgeon based in Parry Sound, Ontario. She is committed to providing a broad scope of surgical care to support her patients in accessing care close to home. She holds an Honours degree in Environmental Science from Acadia University andreceived her MD from the University of Toronto, pursing post-graduate training in General Surgery at the University of Ottawa along with an MSc in Health Systems through the uOttawa Telfer School of Management during her surgical training. In addition to her clinical work, shepursues collaborative frostbite care research with the Canadian Frostbite Care Network and holds leadership roles in the Canadian Association of General Surgeons. She is also active in mentorship of future physicians and surgeons though her involvement in undergraduate andpostgraduate education at NOSM University where she is an Associate Professor, providing leadership in promoting rural surgery as a meaningful career path. Outside of surgery she enjoys lattes, knitting, and fun with her family.

 Links:

1. www.aheadinthegame.ca
2. Rural Surgeon Profile - Dr. Cait Champion - CAGS
3. m.S.O.A.R : Mindfulness Mental Performance Attentional Training for Surgeons | General Surgery Learning & Resource Centre
4. Tribble C. The Mental Strategies of Surgeons: A Primer - Part I. Heart Surg Forum. 2020 Dec 31;23(6):E927-E936. doi: 10.1532/hsf.3593. PMID: 33399534.
5. CSF CAGS CMPA Level Up Seminar:  CSF CAGS CMPA 2026_Level Up_Complete FINAL.pptx - Google Drive