Stereotypes are stereotypes because people generalize an experience with a subset of people to a larger group, and then other people continue to generalize everybody because of one particular stereotype - just like you're doing here.
Everyone's seen those stereotypical cartoons about (insert specialty of choice here). Most of the people in those fields that see them laugh and say how accurate they are...There are definitely exceptions to "the rule" in every field (I'm agreeing with you people - The department determines the type of surgeon that they have) but, again, stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason. Yes, it seems like an intellectual conflict of interest to believe this and to be able to keep an open mind as a future physician, but I feel that I can do it, and it's because I realize that there are numerous exceptions to the rule (but the rule still exists).
I'm not sure where you're getting evidence for your "most programs than not" statement, as I'm fairly certain you haven't been to every program in the country. I would even venture a guess that you've personally worked in surgery departments numbering a handful, at best.
Alright, you're correct in calling out my blanket statement there, however, I do have an N>1 to go by...However anecdotal it may be.
I know it only further adds to your point, but I'm a medical student, so I've only worked in one surgery department. I am, however, constantly picking the brains of the residents that are here that I get along with. Most of the general surgery residents, many from other schools, picked general surgery despite the people in it. They just blatantly LOVED the OR, and couldn't imagine a career without being in it all day every day. The subspecialty people often pick their fields based on the fact that they LOVED the OR, but couldn't stand the people in general surgery, or poop. One or the other. It seems like, from those that I've talked to, the minority were initially interested in their specialty because it's "all they've ever wanted to do."
You are also very off in your statement that it "clings on to today." Many programs are actively working to ensure treatment of students and residents is fair and reasonable. And there's a big difference between somebody being challenging, and somebody being malignant.
You're absolutely correct in stating that there's a difference between being challenging and malignant. I do not feel that anyone in our department, resident or attending, is malignant, but that doesn't meant that they're not total ****heads. To me, a malignant person is one that is cheering for you to fail, or even preparing for you to fail. We don't have any of those. However, we have attendings that ask us questions that they don't even know (or didn't know a few days prior, for one very specific example), and when we don't know, they belittle us and tell us to go read about it because everyone knows that. Complete ****heads. If that attitude existed in any other field at our hospital, that attending would be gone in a blink of an eye.
You quantified your statement with "many programs..." so I have no way to disprove it. I'll just rebuttal with the following statement:
Many programs aren't actively working to ensure treatment of students and residents is fair and reasonable. I also want to clarify that ours is not one of them, but I obviously know "many" medical students at other universities that face that problem.