The surgical personality: comparisons between urologists, non-urologists and non-surgeons

Background:

Our objective was to compare personality traits between urologists and other surgeons, as well as between surgeons and non-surgeons.

Methods:

Eighty-six surgeons (57 faculty, 29 residents) completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R), a validated measure of normal personality traits. Subjects agree or disagree with 240 statements to generate a score in each of the 5 major character traits: extraversion (E), openness (O), conscientiousness (C), agreeableness (A) and neuroticism (N). Each factor is subdivided into 6 component facets. Scores for urology faculty and residents were compared to the other surgical groups and 21 pediatricians.

Results:

The 3 groups differed significantly on extraversion (p < 0.001). Post-hoc analyses indicated that urologists obtained significantly higher extraversion scores than other surgeons (p < 0.05) and non-surgeons (p < 0.001) Other surgeons also scored significantly higher than non-surgeons on the extraversion factor (p < 0.05). No significant differences emerged on openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness or neuroticism. Of the 6 extraversion facets, urologists obtained significantly higher scores on gregariousness and excitement-seeking (p < 0.05) than non-urologist surgeons, and significantly higher scores on gregariousness (p < 0.05), activity (p < 0.01), excitement seeking (p < 0.001), and positive emotions (p < 0.05) than non-surgeons. Non-urologist surgeons obtained significantly higher scores than non-surgeons on Activity and Excitement-seeking (p < 0.01).There were no significant differences in the facets of warmth or assertiveness.

Interpretation:

Urologists appear to be more extraverted compared to other surgeons. Both groups of surgeons were more extraverted than non-surgeons. If these findings can be confirmed on a wider basis, the data may be helpful in resident selection, mentoring, evaluation and career counselling.