Orthopaedic surgeons: as strong as an ox and almost twice as clever? Multicentre prospective comparative study
BMJ 2011; 343 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d7506 (Published 15 December 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;343:d7506
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Excuse me. But, shouldn't we all be more concerned that both groups have IQs that are only average?!
Competing interests: No competing interests
Dear Editor,
I would like to congratulate Subramanian et al., for their fine article- it's one of the most entertaining pieces I've read this year. This could be the start of a new era of intellectual Orthopods? Only the 'Grinch' or Ebenezer Scrooge would be wretched and miserly enough to question the methodology or statistical analysis of this Christmas paper. Therefore I'd better not. Indeed, such a position would suggest that the fruit made famous by Aesop tasted even worse than those chronicled by Nobel laureate John Steinbeck. However, given that doctors are thought to be in the top 2% of the general population it is interesting that Orthopods have just over average I.Q. scores.
What it is even more interesting is that several of the Anaesthetists in this sample had I.Q. scores that would normally be associated with profound cognitive impairment (60-80). Could it be possible that a few midazolam-soaked nonagenarians fell off the trauma list and claimed to be Anaesthetists… and the authors didn't ask too many questions? If not, then perhaps Dostoevsky should have written a book called 'The Anaesthetist.'
My penultimate point is that Subramanian et al., do not actually address the question posed in the title. In order to do this they should have asked a herd of oxen to take the I.Q. test. This undermines the whole validity of the trial. They might have even identified some budding Anaesthetists.
To conclude, on behalf of the global Anaesthetic community I would like to congratulate the authors for their work. Orthopods should no longer be compared favourably to an ox. Their above average intellect and grip strength should be taken into account. I applaud the Orthopods' sense of humour. No more references to monkeys should be made, although the superior hand and wrist strength will help them to spank their own metaphorical monkeys very effectively indeed.
Competing interests: No competing interests
The authors need to declare their competing interests: they are orthopaedic surgeons and therefore were greatly biased in relation to the outcome of their study!
Competing interests: Not an orthopaedic surgeon!
Thank you so much for this study. I am an Orthopaedic Registrar and a copy will definitely be going to our Anaesthetic department.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Subramanian et al reported that male orthopaedic surgeons have greater intelligence and grip strength than their male anaesthetic colleagues. The difference in intelligence between orthopaedic surgeons and anesthetists could be explained by a model of IQ, occupation, and earnings1. In the model, average IQ in higher occupations will exceed average IQ in lower occupations, and average earnings are greater in higher occupations. In 2010, the average salary for Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon jobs in the United Kingdom was £140 328, whereas that of Consultant Anaesthetist jobs was £100 000 (http://www.mysalary.co.uk/). Therefore, if adjusted for other confounding factors, medical graduates will prefer to be Orthopaedic Surgeons than anesthetists, and those with a higher IQ would eventually get the Orthopaedic Surgeon job.
Except for hobbies, reputation, labor intensity and salary are the main factors taken into account when people choose their occupation. Thus, the conclusion that individuals working in higher salaried occupations have higher IQs can be adopted in every field. For example, if adjusted with physical factors and age, the average IQ of football players in the Premier League would be higher than that of players in the Football League Championship.
Reference
Brown WW & Reynolds MO. a model of IQ, occupation, and earnings. The American Economic Review 1975; 65(5):1002-1007.
Competing interests: No competing interests
You have ruined my life...can't write any more, grip strength failing...
Competing interests: Having to put up with Orthopaedic Surgeons on a daily basis
orthopedicians on average more outgoing, from MBBS days physically strong by selection bias, who would like to do things quickly without taxing their brain as orthopedics is the most mathematical medicine with less variables. they like a good life style with more money, girls, cars, travel, outdoor kinds. they are intelligent to identify easy paths for comfort life. they perceive materialistic goals & family life more important than professional challenge. this makes them smart in their own sense but the pity is many are just lured by implant market driving them for easy money with lot free time to relish other aspects of life. this market has motivated many neurosurgeons to become spine surgeons. it doesnt make them any less smart than anesthetists, but more intelligent enough to chose n live life of less anxiety or tension. i have seen many intelligent orthopedicians and the other extreme who doesnt know to look for shock in femur or pelvic fractures.
while anesthetist many join for the glamour of ot while not able to get into surgical residency while lose the recognition to admit patients under them so resentment makes them be cynical of the surgeons in general more of the ortho for their life style n easy way of earning more money. many even move to intensive care tend to capture ICU and call closed ICU to earn more recognition as care giver and credits in bills. many cases the surgeons job might be easy but it might be tip toe for anesthesia its then they show their intelligence as the complete wholesome care taker of patients as an intensivist, cardio, nephro, neuro, pulmonologist who is multi tasking managing multiple variables . but sadly the pay usually is fixed as a percentage of surgeons fee than left to independent discretion of anesthetist to quote. that's the sad part of medical-economics and noboday wants to correct it. its the resentment they are trying to negate with criticism.
Competing interests: No competing interests
I believe there is a strong confounder that is until now overlooked. The etymology of the word 'clever' is according to Online Etymology Dictonary:
"late 16c., "handy, dexterous," from E.Anglian dialectal cliver "expert at seizing," perhaps from E.Fris. klufer or Norwegian dialectic klover "ready, skillful," and perhaps influenced by O.E. clifer "claw, hand" (early usages seem to refer to dexterity); extension to intellect is first recorded 1704."
Since the percentage of lefthanded anaesthesiologists was 5% in the present study, whereas all orthopedic surgeons were righthanded, hence "clever", that clearly brings in some skewing and propably explains the result!
Competing interests: No competing interests
Wonderful, congratulations to the team.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Re: Orthopaedic surgeons: as strong as an ox and almost twice as clever? Multicentre prospective comparative study
A lovely Christmas BMJ paper, even if the result is somewhat upsetting. I note that the sample was exclusively male; were the authors attempting to debunk one stereotype while colluding with another?
Fear not, there are plenty of further comparisons to be made on the same theme. May I suggest the following:
1) Divorce rate.
2) Size of bulge in theatre trouser. I refer of course to the wallet, and suspect that the two factors may be linked...
Competing interests: No competing interests