"Sutton's Law in Surgery: 'That's Where the Money is'"

Am Surg. 2022 Jul;88(7):1626-1630. doi: 10.1177/0003134821998661. Epub 2021 Feb 25.

Abstract

Many students, residents, and learners have heard of the infamous bank robber, who when arrested was asked "Why do you rob banks?" He supposedly replied "Because that's where the money is." Except it did not happen that way. He did rob close to a hundred banks and jewelry stores and stole an estimated $2,000,000.1 A well-known maxim in medicine and surgery, few know the details of the unrelated men behind "Sutton's Law."

Keywords: history; resident education.