Here's a study investigating whether beta-blockers (which, among other effects, reduce tremor) help medical residents perform delicate microsurgery on the eye: The effect of propranolol versus placebo on resident surgical performance. The residents noticed a decrease in hand tremor while on the drug, but they didn't report a difference in the "difficulty" of the surgery (which is admittedly subjective) or in the outcomes of the procedure. I recently asked a panel of practicing surgeons a similar question: "How can a medical student assess her own technical prowess?" More generally, I was curious about what makes a "good surgeon." Are some people just naturally "good with their hands," or is it trainable? I'll paraphrase one of the answers: "If you're having trouble tying your shoes, then you probably shouldn't try to become a surgeon. There are extremes. But for the most part, technical skill is almost entirely trainable/learnable." Instead, the difficult part of surgery, according to these docs, is the ability to making quick and appropriate decisions when things go unexpectedly during a procedure. Source
