Researchers identify various objective physiological signs of stress in surgeons during real operationsAlthough robot-assisted surgery (RAS) gives surgeons remarkable precision, little is known about how their stress levels fluctuate during challenging procedures. In a recent study, researchers from Japan monitored surgeons’ brain, muscle, and heart activity during live RASs and linked these physiological signals to the surgeons’ own stress ratings. Though scientists know surgeons experience varying levels of stress during an operation, little is known about how that stress changes from moment to moment. In RAS, stress should be understood not only over time but also as a whole-body response involving the cognitive processing system, musculoskeletal system, and autonomic nervous system. Knowledge of when and how stress manifests physiologically in surgeons could help improve surgical training, how operating rooms are designed, and how well physicians are supported at work.