Few careers can match the challenges, both technical and non-technical, and the variety of situations that we see during a career in surgery. Undoubtedly, the satisfaction of diagnosing and managing the wide range of conditions that we see together with keeping abreast of the ever-expanding body of knowledge can be matched by very few other professions. However, there are potential pitfalls along the way. Serendipity has directed my involvement with many cases where doctors have found themselves in difficulty and the aim of this presentation is to highlight some of the mistakes to be avoided as well as strategies to cope when the going gets tough.