Inside Operation

Scalpels, suction tubes, heart monitors—these are some of the instruments you will find in an operating room. But when you, the patient, goes under, many doctors take out another tool: music. Melodies play an important role in the O.R., so what do surgeons listen to? Classical? Yes. Rock ‘n’ roll? Check. Country western? Uh huh. Heavy metal? Believe it or not…yes. We take you on a sonic journey through the playlists of operating rooms around the country.

In the wake of the 1994 genocide that left a million dead, rates of mental illness in Rwanda are significantly higher than in other nations. The government is trying to respond to the need for mental health care, but with only six psychiatrists in the entire country, progress is slow. But one organization is trying to address this issue in a surprising way—mental illness tourism.