A Clarion Call for More Qualitative Studies in Surgery

Qualitative studies in Surgery are important because they contextualize the previously missing social facets of the surgical narrative and inquire into the crucial issues of quality of life/well-being, gender and other discriminations and biases faced by surgeons and patients, surgical education/training, mental issues and burnout, etc. This has resulted in an increasing trend of qualitative studies in surgery. Authors, editors and journals have to ensure that the principles of scientific rigour in qualitative research are followed; otherwise, the answers will not be valid, thus rendering the whole exercise futile. More studies, addressing these fascinating 'social' facets of surgery, are needed.