Operating Room Confidential: What Really Goes On When You Go Under

Go behind the scenes of the OR in this “fact-filled, poignant, and funny” account by an anesthesiologist (Booklist)

What really happens in the operating room of a hospital? Is real life just like ER, Grey’s Anatomy, or House?

Even patients who’ve spent time in the operating room don’t really know much about them — thanks to the important work of anesthesiologists like Dr. Paul Whang. But here, he takes readers into the hospital and past the OR doors — fully alert.

Combining personal stories with staff experiences, he reveals hidden truths about what goes on during surgery and recounts both the humdrum and the quirky, strange, and bizarre occurrences that shape a regular hospital day. He answers questions such as:

• What do doctors talk about during your surgery?
• If a surgical instrument falls to the floor, is the five-second rule observed?
• What characters do doctors encounter on a typical twenty-four-hour on-call shift?
• What are the personality quirks of doctors who practise different specialties?

Operating Room Confidential is based on real people and actual incidents and takes the reader on a journey that unveils the way the hospital works in an accessible, conversational style, without intimidating medical jargon. Insightful and funny, this is a must-read for the curiosity seeker and anyone who has been or will be on the operating room table.

Paul Whang MD FRCP is a Staff Anaesthetist at a busy urban hospital in Toronto, ON. As an anaesthetist, he works alongside all the surgeons and nurses as a key member of the O.R. team. He also consults with numerous hospital specialists, who follow patients before and after their operations. Amongst his colleagues, he is known for his easygoing personality, irreverent sense of humour, and as a keen observer of the human condition.