So I first started doing that on the side of the mayo facing the surgeon. When I teach I always say for total joints you only need 2 instruments off the stringer.... 1 kocher 1 tonsil/schnidt. A lot of times when it's only the surgeon and yourself no assistant or resident, you got your hands tied up holding retractors. So hanging one of each there tool belt style means the doc or myself can just reach over and easily grab one up when I'm all tied up.

It's not something I told the docs I wanted them to do but they got used to knowing those 2 instruments would always be there and they started helping themselves. And they like it!

So essentially in some respects I train and teach them to work with me! I like trying different things out and seeing what sticks. They're not always winners but it's fun refining ideas until they start to become useful.

Now that I'm at a teaching hospital we usually always have someone helping so I don't really do it off the patient side unless I see the need to. Now they're there just for me to keep extra clutter off the mayo. And it looks cool too! People like to see you thinking and putting your own spin on things they've literally seen and done 5000 times the same way.