Maybe it's because my dad is a doctor, or I'm just a little off in the head, but I like hospitals.  Don't get me wrong, I don't like the pain and misery I've felt when friends and loved ones, or even myself, have been hospitalized.  But even when I've been the one that's being treated I've always felt that a sense of order and calm permeates a hospital. I think it's because I know there are caring, competent professionals tending to the sick and injured.

If you were to ask me what kind of music would be piped through a hospital, my first instinct would be Classical.  Especially in the operating room.  I mean there's a reason why they're referred to as operating "theaters".  Surgeons are seen as performing works of art when they operate.  So I would imagine to hear the strains of Mozart wafting through the room.

Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit; my world was completely rocked this morning when I read a story on Men's Health's web site about a new survey conducted by Spotify and Figure 1, an online company whose website is used by medical professionals to share cases.  The quest of the survey was to discover what genre of music surgeons preferred while "performing" in the operating room.  The study polled over 700 doctors in 50 different countries.  An astounding 90% of respondents said that they listen to music while doing surgery.

The #1 music preference of the world's surgeons?  Rock--the harder the better.  Among the songs cited as favorite surgical selections are:

  • Sweet Child Of Mine by Guns 'N' Roses
  • Rock You Like A Hurricane by The Scorpions
  • Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin
  • Back In Black by AC/DC
  • Just What The Doctor Ordered by Ted Nugent

I don't know about you, but I really want my doctor to have a steady hand if I'm ever under the knife, so the thought of him/her banging their head to GNR would not exactly put me at ease.  But, to the contrary, the doctors all said that their favorite music takes them to their happy place and makes them feel at ease and totally at home in the operating room.

So, I say, "Rock on, Doc!"  And may I make a few suggestions for your playlist?

  • The First Cut Is The Deepest by Rod Stewart (or Sheryl Crow)
  • You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi (Just because of the song's first line "Shot through the heart, and you're to blame...)
  • Cuts Like A Knife by Bryan Adams
  • Them Bones by Alice In Chains

And some songs to avoid, please?

  • (I Just) Died In Your Arms by Cutting Crew
  • Shot Down In Flames by AC/DC
  • Close My Eyes Forever by Lita Ford and Ozzy
  • Death On Two Legs by Queen
  • Keep Your Hands To Yourself by Georgia Satellites

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