Does OR Banter Goes Too Far? (Umm…yes?)

Subscribe today to listen to this content Get Access

In orthopedic surgery, where the pace is relentless, the pressure intense, and the bones frequently shattered, surgeons often rely on something just as sharp as their scalpels: their wit.

From the moment residency begins, orthopedic teams develop their own lexicon—a patchwork of nicknames, acronyms, and slang terms that help them cut through the chaos. These phrases can build camaraderie, inject dark humor into long call nights, and make it easier to laugh when you’re scrubbing in at 2 a.m. for the third trauma case of the evening.