Never, never give up is a phrase that should be tattooed on every surgeon’s wrist. I agree with this statement; however, I would modify it slightly and state that ‘Never, never give up, but start over’ should be tattooed on every surgeon’s wrist.

Never, never give up implies that no matter how badly a surgeon fails, no matter how much time elapses, he should always return and try again. However, starting over implies that the surgeon is admitting failure and refusing to try again. In my opinion, a surgeon who gives up too easily is a surgeon who will never reach his full potential. The human body is a delicate and intricate machine, and surgery requires the utmost skill to conquer. As such, surgeons must be able and willing to overcome failure and keep going. As surgeons, we make mistakes frequently, and there is no other way to learn from them. Sometimes, we even make the same mistake twice. This teaches us that our initial plans must be revised. However, a surgeon who refuses to learn and fails once is worse than a surgeon who repeats a mistake and learns from it. Failure is a necessary part of becoming the best surgeon that one can be. If a surgeon refuses to face his mistakes, he risks damaging his reputation and losing prestige. In a field as competitive as surgery, the surgeon who refuses to learn and who fails repeatedly will usually lose his patients to less talented doctors. Surgeons who continue to practice despite failure, but continue to learn from their mistakes, are those who have the best chance of becoming the best surgeons they can be.

The phrase ‘never, never give up’ is a motivational mantra that has been used for centuries. It is an expression of tenacity and determination, and it is meant to encourage surgeons to persevere in the face of adversity. The origins of the phrase are uncertain; some believe that it is derived from the phrase ‘never give in’ while others believe it originated with Winston Churchill. Regardless of its inspiration, the phrase has been used to describe a multitude of situations. For example, in 1972, when Apollo 15 astronauts Jim Irwin and Rusty Schweickart were descending to the surface of the moon, their lunar module was struck by lightning. Their spacesuits and communications equipment were damaged, and Schweickart was knocked unconscious. He was left stranded and alone on the moon. Unable to move, Irwin performed first aid on Schweickart and kept him alive until rescue crews arrived. Irwin was a man of great courage. He never gave up and, after enduring many close calls, he became the first American astronaut to walk on the Moon. The Apollo 15 mission was a tremendous accomplishment for NASA, and Neil Armstrong, who commanded the mission, called it the ‘first step’ on the moon.

Never, never give up is a positive phrase, and it is often applied to situations where failure is unavoidable. For example, after an earthquake, a victim may be pinned beneath debris or trapped in a building. If rescuers cannot free the victim, it is clear that ‘never, never give up’ is an appropriate philosophy. The rescuers must leave the site immediately, without waiting for further instructions. They must be prepared to abandon the victim, but they must never fail to try to reach her.

The phrase ‘never, never give up’ can be applied to situations outside of disaster as well. For example, surgeons may encounter patient complications during surgery. It is not uncommon for a procedure to end in an unplanned way. For example, a surgeon may accidentally sever a blood vessel, causing the patient to lose a significant amount of blood. The surgeon must act quickly, possibly using the patient’s own blood to staunch the bleeding. If the patient’s condition worsens, and the blood loss cannot be stopped, it may be necessary to perform emergency surgery. Even if the patient survives, an undetected injury may lead to further complications. In this case, it is extremely important for the surgeon to ‘never, never give up’, and to attempt to repair the damage caused by the complication.

The phrase ‘never, never give up’ can also be used to motivate people to overcome obstacles and be successful. For example, the phrase is motivating to students, who use it to encourage themselves to study hard. Students who apply themselves diligently and never give up will eventually achieve success. However, the phrase also applies to adults. Many people do not succeed because they fail to ‘never, never give up’ in the face of adversity. For example, in 2000, a United States men’s national soccer team was playing in the World Cup against Belgium. The Americans had the lead for the majority of the game, but the team’s coach, Bruce Arena, made a tactical error. Instead of taking a quick free kick, he sent in a defender, who fouled a member of the Belgian team. The Belgian player was able to score, and the match ended 2-1. The Americans went on to lose the third place match, and Arena was fired shortly afterward. The Americans could have won the entire tournament, but they failed because they refused to ‘never, never give up’.

Never, never give up is a phrase that should not be applied to surgery. Surgery is a delicate and intricate procedure, and mistakes can have disastrous consequences. One of the worst things a surgical team can do is allow a surgeon who has made repeated mistakes to continue practicing. Medical professionals need to work together to diagnose and treat patients. When a surgeon makes a mistake, members of that team should immediately inform