... I've noticed many programs do not have residents doing skin-to-skin, but instead about 25-50% of the 'easier' parts of the surgery...
What's the 'easier parts' of surgery?
For an amp, if you handle the skin poorly, it'll fail to heal or necrose and create major problems or a more proximal amp. I will gladly let a resident make the bone cuts... but they are done if they use the forceps to clamp on skin edges.
For a DMO bunionectomy, if you don't make the cuts well, it won't translate well or might shorten. I can fix a bad screw, but I can't fix a deep peroneal nerve injury, you know?
For a fusion, it's much harder and much more critical to position the joint than to put the screws into the plate.
For an ankle scope, if you don't place the portals correct, you are screwed on visualization.
It all matters. Sure, the fixation or the reduction are usually the fun or macho parts, but if you bag the perforating branch of the DP on dissection down to bone, wrap up the sural on the closure, or leave an ugly scar with bad tension of the skin... well then, it's not a success to the patient's perception or the final outcome.
...For most surgery, the outcome is largely won or lost before you even step into OR (counseled expectations of elective stuff, deciding on joint salvage vs fusion, viable amp vs BKA, candidate for ORIF vs just casting, etc). Not sending the pt for toe filler or not doing a gastroc with TMA or not helping a Lapidus patient to understand the aftercare and return-to-shoes timeline can doom them to trouble even if the TMA or Lapidus procedure itself was technically a 9.88 on Olympic judging scale.
As was said, you can learn a lot by watching. For some of my more skilled attendings (and even some senior residents), I'd almost rather watch. You can always learn by doing with the more mediocre attendings (assuming your program has enough volume and some good attendings). The good ones, though? Those are limted chances, and I want to soak up their tricks and efficiency techniques. I'd honestly like to mainly watch and learn with them - esp for the first half of residency.