Cutting into Change: Reflection on Surgeon Diet and Professional Identity.

Abstract

The intersection of surgical identity and dietary choices remains an underexplored yet profoundly relevant domain in modern medicine. Surgeons, trained to heal through precision and restraint, often overlook the cognitive dissonance between their professional ethos and personal behaviors-most notably, diet. This paper examines the alignment of a plant-based diet with the ethical, cognitive, and performance-driven imperatives of surgical practice. Drawing on theories of professional identity formation and cognitive development, we explore how surgeons internalize values through training yet fail to extend this scrutiny to their own health behaviors. Despite compelling evidence linking plant-based nutrition to improved longevity, cognitive resilience, and reduced burnout, the ingrained habits of US medical training persist into practice, often unchecked. We argue that a paradigm shift-one that reframes dietary choice as an extension of surgical responsibility-can serve as a catalyst for professional reinvention. Furthermore, we analyze the environmental and public health ramifications of meat consumption, positioning the surgeon as both a healer of individuals and a steward of planetary well-being. Through a synthesis of medical literature, ethical inquiry, and personal reflection, we advocate for a reevaluation of dietary norms in surgery. By reevaluating entrenched behaviors, surgeons may unlock new avenues for resilience, coherence, and purpose in their practice.