Death on the Learning Curve (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: fools and duck hunters, zero silk, ortho resident, Neal Morgan, Carl Morgan, Sylvia Brigham (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A hospital operating room may not be as safe as you think it is. Hiding among the sterile scrubs and gleaming instruments of an operating room is a whole lot of high drama: split-second life-and-death decisions...deep questions of ethics...roaring personality conflicts...the glory of saving a life-and the horror when a simple procedure goes terribly wrong.

Renowned surgeon Pierce Scranton, Jr., kept a detailed diary of his internship year at a busy California teaching hospital. This book is a vivid, fictionalized memoir of that year in the trenches. Through the intertwined stories of teachers, students and patients, it explores issues like: What happens when teaching and healing come into conflict? When is a new treatment to prolong life a good idea, and when is it a disaster? How did lawyers and bean-counters get so much power? And when do relationships between doctors and other staff "go too far?" This honest account is startling and sometimes shocking-but always gripping.

* A fictionalized memoir taken from the author's own diary of his internship year at a real California hospital.

* Gripping scenes underscore health and political issues that are of serious relevance to reader's lives today.

* Both startlingly informative and an engaging read, this novel will appeal to a wide audience.

About the Author

Pierce E. Scranton Jr. was team physician for the Seattle Seahawks, president of the NFL Physician's Society, and president of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. In addition to private practice and charity work, he has authored over one hundred peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and books, including Playing Hurt: Treating and Evaluating the Warriors of the NFL (Potomac, 2002).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 329 pages
• Publisher: Elite Books (November 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600700144
• ISBN-13: 978-1600700149
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #368,298 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A page turner of medical suspense that's nearly impossible to put down..., December 21, 2006

By	Michael Rabinoff - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a very enjoyable read. It is a page-turner of medical suspense that's nearly impossible to put down. If you like TV medical dramas like ER or Grey's Anatomy, then you'll really like this book. It'll also shock you into awareness of what really goes on in teaching hospitals... the ethical dilemmas, life and death situations that require split second actions, the simple mistakes that lead to disaster, the positive outcomes that make the medical doctor's training worthwhile.
The book will make you more aware for when you or family members go into the hospital, all the while entertaining you as you read the book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read folks!, July 16, 2008

By	Daniel Gardner (Kenmore, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I read Death On the Learning Curve while recovering from ankle surgery and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, someday in the future, I plan on reading it again! It was a hard book to put down and I couldn't wait to see the outcome of the medical drama. I now understand how hard it is for interns to make decisions that could cost another's life. While reading this book, I often gasped, laughed, and got teary eyed. You won't be disappointed if you invest your money and time into this book.

This review was written by Linda Gardner.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars attention to detail, October 30, 2007

By	Ruth L. Thomas "Dr Ruth" (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. Scranton's book is a candid and realistic portrait of internship in the 1970's. Although some things have changed, many more things have remained the same. His attention to details makes this story very real and delightfully entertaining. This is a wonderful read for anyone in the medical profession, but medical knowledge is certainly not needed to follow the story line and thoroughly enjoy.