There is a moment each day when I truly feel “at one with myself”—the moment I sit down to play the guitar .No bright surgical lights like those in the operating room, no sounds of instruments, no rhythmic beeping of a patient’s heartbeat from the monitor. Only the sound of guitar strings…and thoughts that gradually begin to unwind .
I have loved music since my medical school days. It is not merely a way to relax, but unknowingly, it became a training ground for my life as a surgeon.
When playing the guitar, all five fingers must move with precision, coordinated seamlessly with vision and rhythm .These very skills later prove invaluable at the operating table .
Numerous studies have highlighted the relationship between musical training and surgical precision, particularly in areas such as hand–eye coordination and the speed and accuracy required for delicate procedures, including laparoscopic surgery.
One study published in JAMA Surgery reported that:
“Physicians with a background in music demonstrate superior development of surgical techniques compared to those without musical training.”(M. M. Chiu et al., 2021)
But what music gives me… is more than technical skill. Music teaches me the rhythm of the heart.
During long surgeries that last for many hours, pressure naturally increases with time. Yet the rhythm I have practiced on the guitar helps me sustain focus for longer periods, allowing me to remain in a state of flow—calm, steady, and unhurried .
Another study found that listening to soft music in the operating room can enhance a surgeon’s concentration and improve surgical accuracy(Allen et al., Surgical Endoscopy, 2019).
For me, simply humming a melody internally while planning a facelift makes everything feel more rhythmic, more intuitive, and more connected. And the reason I love music the most…is not because it makes me a better surgeon, but because it allows me to be more present with myself .
In a world where surgeons must constantly think, analyze, and decide, music becomes a safe space—a place where I can listen to my own heartbeat, so that I may return the next day and listen more deeply to the heartbeat of my patients.
Because surgery is not only about technique—it is an art. And music is one of the most important teachers on my personal journey through the art of healing .
With love ❤️ Dr. Jay Crafting Confidence with Care
