Legal Definitions - captain-of-the-ship doctrine

The captain-of-the-ship doctrine is a legal principle that holds a surgeon responsible for the actions of their assistants who are under their control but are employees of the hospital, not the surgeon.

For example, if a surgeon is performing a surgery and their assistant makes a mistake that causes harm to the patient, the surgeon can be held liable for the assistant's actions. This is because the surgeon is considered the "captain of the ship" and is responsible for the overall outcome of the surgery.

Another example could be a situation where a surgeon is supervising a resident who is performing a procedure. If the resident makes a mistake that causes harm to the patient, the surgeon can be held liable under the captain-of-the-ship doctrine.

The captain-of-the-ship doctrine is important because it ensures that surgeons take responsibility for the actions of their assistants and provide proper supervision to prevent harm to patients.