Psychological safety has garnered increasing attention within medical education. Initially described by Dr. Amy Edmondson, this concept encompasses the unique blend of trust, respect, and care that foster risk-taking behaviors and critical learning of high-functioning teams [1]. Manufacturing crews were the initial focus for the landmark paper published in 1999, but these concepts are also salient among medical teams. In fact, psychological safety in medicine has been associated with improved patient outcomes, decreased work-related stress, and increased staff engagement [2,3].

Despite its importance, psychological safety remains poorly understood and implemented within the healthcare system. This challenge is especially rigorous within surgical teams that include learners. Surgical trainees learn and work within paradigms that are historically and fundamentally built on power differentials, established hierarchy and critical evaluation [4]. Dr Edmondson highlighted these exact traits as risk factors for avoidance behaviors that are the antithesis of psychological safety [1]. Furthermore, vulnerability, another key team dynamic for building psychological safety, is often devalued within surgical training [5]. These inherent barriers to high-functioning teams within the surgical learning environment make it all the more critical for educational leaders to understand this concept. Thus, the purpose of this study is to conduct a narrative review examining existing studies evaluating psychological safety within the surgical learning environment.