Is it appropriate to ask that residents' role in surgery be limited?

[Gracie2311]

I understand how to get a good many of the tradition questions about surgery answered (why surgery, what are the alternatives, what are the risks, etc.) and I've read a lot about the surgery and feel well-informed. But here's the kicker: I'm a teacher, so I understand the need for training, but unfortunately I've got a strong NIMBY attitude about my surgery as far as surgical residents go -- and the surgery will be at a big teaching hospital (in Ohio, yep). I intend to ask (and specify on my consent form) that my primary surgeon be the primary surgeon throughout the operation -- i.e. operating rather than supervising others operating -- and I intend to ask that anyone assisting with "significant surgical tasks" have significant prior experience in the procedure (i.e. no newbies). I know my attitude's ironic, but  -- anyway: do you see these as achievable and reasonable requests? Thanks.

[Cleveland Clinic]

Most academic hospital have residents and fellows who scrub in with the primary surgeons, not just to learn but also to help.  It is usually our unwritten rule and it certainly applies to my procedures that when a patient asks me to not have the resident involved in the case, I tell them that the residents do scrub in and they are only allowed to learn under supervision and that portion of the surgery that are out of their realm are performed by the attending physician.  Over time, they learn the procedures and eventually are able to perform them as well.  This is the way we all learned how to do things in medicine.  It is the only way to teach our residents and fellows how to be good.  Again they are under complete supervision of the attending physician.  Believe it or not, academic institutions have the lowest risks of complications and the best survival rates.  I personally think that residents and fellows are the ones responsible for that.  

[Gracie2311]

Food for thought! Having read your very good points, I still believe that without expecting to choreograph a procedure for a surgeon, a patient should have the ability to request that anyone performing a significant part of the surgery have a minimum amount of experience. But if you were my surgeon, I bet I'd say do what you will -- you seem SO trustable. Thanks for your response.