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Trauma: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon
In this pulse-pounding medical memoir, trauma surgeon James Cole takes readers straight into the ER, where anything can and does happen
TRAUMA is Dr. Cole's harrowing account of his life spent in the ER and on the battlegrounds, fighting to save lives. In addition to his gripping stories of treating victims of gunshot wounds, stabbings, attempted suicides, flesh-eating bacteria, car crashes, industrial accidents, murder, and war, the book also covers the years during Cole's residency training when he was faced with 120-hour work weeks, excessive sleep deprivation, and the pressures of having to manage people dying of traumatic injury, often with little support.
Unlike the authors of other medical memoirs, Cole trained to be a surgeon in the military and served as a physician member of a Marine Corps reconnaissance unit, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and on a Navy Reserve SEAL team. From treating war casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq to his experiences as a civilian trauma surgeon treating alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals, and the mentally deranged, TRAUMA is an intense look at one man's commitment to his country and to those most desperately in need of aid.
TRAUMA is Dr. Cole's harrowing account of his life spent in the ER and on the battlegrounds, fighting to save lives. In addition to his gripping stories of treating victims of gunshot wounds, stabbings, attempted suicides, flesh-eating bacteria, car crashes, industrial accidents, murder, and war, the book also covers the years during Cole's residency training when he was faced with 120-hour work weeks, excessive sleep deprivation, and the pressures of having to manage people dying of traumatic injury, often with little support.
Unlike the authors of other medical memoirs, Cole trained to be a surgeon in the military and served as a physician member of a Marine Corps reconnaissance unit, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and on a Navy Reserve SEAL team. From treating war casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq to his experiences as a civilian trauma surgeon treating alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals, and the mentally deranged, TRAUMA is an intense look at one man's commitment to his country and to those most desperately in need of aid.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2011
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December 24, 2022
Review The blurb says it is pulse-pounding. I can only think that the author got high blood pressure when talking of all the good work he was doing for a lady in a very serious state that he, and others, weren't even getting paid for because she was an illegal alien and had no money, friends, family etc. She was in a coma for a long time and being as she wasn't paying, no rehabilitation facility wanted to take her and no friends or relatives visited her, so the hospital became her home.
I can't imagine having to deal with a doctor who is making the best of not being paid, doing his duty, even going beyond it, but still begrudging that she isn't paying for his excellent treatment. Not everyone gets born into a country, town, gender or home where it is relatively easy to go to medical school and become a high-earning professional. There is more to the phrase 'illegal alien' than having other people pay through their taxes for their care, but the author seems oblivious of that.
There was another doctor-memoir book that had a not really similar base, but like this one, it's the money that counts. In his book, Doctored: The Disillusionment of an American Physician, Sandeep Jauhar who was earning at least $500K just wouldn't recommend medicine to his children because it paid so badly. In this book, Trauma, the author is upset about all the free treatment the US medical business has to dole out paid for by his and other upright citizens. What does he want the really sick patients who have no insurance and are perhaps illegal immigrants to do, die in the street outside where he can walk past to his car and not bother about the?
I love America, I live there about half the year and love it. But two things I really, really don't like and think are more Wild West (and not in a good way) and not the mark of a civilized country, the world leader at that - guns and health care being a business. Did you know that the leading cause of death in the US for children aged 1-19 is gunshot? 4,357 about died in 2020 and I hope no one begrudged any of them treatment for their wounds, even if it was ultimately unsuccessful.
The book is not badly written and does contain interesting stories at times, but the meanness of spirit, the lack of empathy and soul which are not usually associated with doctors who are members of the 'caring profession', left a really bad taste in my mouth. 2.5 stars upgraded to 3 because it is always interesting to have one's views challenged, even if in not a good way.
__________
Reading notes Mostly irrelevant.
.
I can't imagine having to deal with a doctor who is making the best of not being paid, doing his duty, even going beyond it, but still begrudging that she isn't paying for his excellent treatment. Not everyone gets born into a country, town, gender or home where it is relatively easy to go to medical school and become a high-earning professional. There is more to the phrase 'illegal alien' than having other people pay through their taxes for their care, but the author seems oblivious of that.
There was another doctor-memoir book that had a not really similar base, but like this one, it's the money that counts. In his book, Doctored: The Disillusionment of an American Physician, Sandeep Jauhar who was earning at least $500K just wouldn't recommend medicine to his children because it paid so badly. In this book, Trauma, the author is upset about all the free treatment the US medical business has to dole out paid for by his and other upright citizens. What does he want the really sick patients who have no insurance and are perhaps illegal immigrants to do, die in the street outside where he can walk past to his car and not bother about the?
I love America, I live there about half the year and love it. But two things I really, really don't like and think are more Wild West (and not in a good way) and not the mark of a civilized country, the world leader at that - guns and health care being a business. Did you know that the leading cause of death in the US for children aged 1-19 is gunshot? 4,357 about died in 2020 and I hope no one begrudged any of them treatment for their wounds, even if it was ultimately unsuccessful.
The book is not badly written and does contain interesting stories at times, but the meanness of spirit, the lack of empathy and soul which are not usually associated with doctors who are members of the 'caring profession', left a really bad taste in my mouth. 2.5 stars upgraded to 3 because it is always interesting to have one's views challenged, even if in not a good way.
__________
Reading notes Mostly irrelevant.
.
February 14, 2024
I was excited for this book, felt like it took forever to have the spare money (adulthoodis overrated sometims ):( needless to say, snatched it up real quick when I had some credits from Amazon.
I was a little wary of the length.. it's the longest medical memoir to date I've read, and I was hoping I'd love it all the way through.
Happy to report that's the case :)
Dr. Cole is someone I'd feel safe with if he had to operate on me. He's compassionate, professional and caring, Dedicated to his patients' well-being.
The writing was never dry or boring... my eyes did glaze over in his time as military surgeon, had to concentrate a little harder but I was impressed with how everything was handled.
He does go into details of his surgeries but it's not super graphic. If you have a weak stomach like me, I would skip the handful of surgery pictures sprinkled through the book.
I couldn't read fast enough for some of these cases, gripping my eReader so hard. Some are heartbreaking, some are just wow with recovery.. all will tug on your heartstrings and have you wondering about their circumstances
Life can change in an instant and your situation can flip in an extreme way and leave you forever altered in varying degrees. Makes you appreciate life, even if you are frustrated with it from time to time.
I'm glad there's people like this that can do these sometimes complicated surgeries/procedures and help people.
Would definitely recommend 👌 I wouldn't mind sitting down with the author to pick his brain, if he was willing to talk to me.
I was a little wary of the length.. it's the longest medical memoir to date I've read, and I was hoping I'd love it all the way through.
Happy to report that's the case :)
Dr. Cole is someone I'd feel safe with if he had to operate on me. He's compassionate, professional and caring, Dedicated to his patients' well-being.
The writing was never dry or boring... my eyes did glaze over in his time as military surgeon, had to concentrate a little harder but I was impressed with how everything was handled.
He does go into details of his surgeries but it's not super graphic. If you have a weak stomach like me, I would skip the handful of surgery pictures sprinkled through the book.
I couldn't read fast enough for some of these cases, gripping my eReader so hard. Some are heartbreaking, some are just wow with recovery.. all will tug on your heartstrings and have you wondering about their circumstances
Life can change in an instant and your situation can flip in an extreme way and leave you forever altered in varying degrees. Makes you appreciate life, even if you are frustrated with it from time to time.
I'm glad there's people like this that can do these sometimes complicated surgeries/procedures and help people.
Would definitely recommend 👌 I wouldn't mind sitting down with the author to pick his brain, if he was willing to talk to me.
November 8, 2011
I love the idea of this book. I really enjoyed going through each chapter and surgical case, reading the intricate details the author provides regarding his patient care before, during and after trauma surgery. In that sense, this book is great.
I do not love the horrific writing and grammar used throughout. I don't know whether to blame the author or editors...surgeons aren't typically the greatest writers but shouldn't the editors have stepped in?
This is a real quote...
"We put on gloves and pulled back the drape to reveal a young man, perhaps only twenty years old, with a classic high-and-tight haircut on his decapitated head! That was a particularly shocking and gruesome sight for us, as in my mind, the head should always be attached to the body."
HAHA. The author/editors clearly don't understand comma usage, which is the most annoying thing about this book. For some reason they use commas between adjectives and nouns. Not once but in every single instance.
Examples...
“News articles of the upcoming, murder trial dominated the local papers.”
"I began to consider her long-term, breathing status."
"On a few occasions, I used some of the Afghan doctor's crude, surgical instruments..."
"The second operation I performed was a minimally invasive, gallbladder removal."
These are all examples I found merely flipping through the book over a two minute span. I don't know why, but this was super distracting to me and made me want to throw the book out the window.
Interesting subject matter? Yes. VERY. But if terrible syntax and structure give you mild panic attacks, STEER CLEAR! Or just read knowing you'll probably get very tense!
I do not love the horrific writing and grammar used throughout. I don't know whether to blame the author or editors...surgeons aren't typically the greatest writers but shouldn't the editors have stepped in?
This is a real quote...
"We put on gloves and pulled back the drape to reveal a young man, perhaps only twenty years old, with a classic high-and-tight haircut on his decapitated head! That was a particularly shocking and gruesome sight for us, as in my mind, the head should always be attached to the body."
HAHA. The author/editors clearly don't understand comma usage, which is the most annoying thing about this book. For some reason they use commas between adjectives and nouns. Not once but in every single instance.
Examples...
“News articles of the upcoming, murder trial dominated the local papers.”
"I began to consider her long-term, breathing status."
"On a few occasions, I used some of the Afghan doctor's crude, surgical instruments..."
"The second operation I performed was a minimally invasive, gallbladder removal."
These are all examples I found merely flipping through the book over a two minute span. I don't know why, but this was super distracting to me and made me want to throw the book out the window.
Interesting subject matter? Yes. VERY. But if terrible syntax and structure give you mild panic attacks, STEER CLEAR! Or just read knowing you'll probably get very tense!
February 2, 2013
I gave up on this one in the first chapter. The writing is very stiff. The author is clearly trying to use his scientific writing skills and make them more casual. He failed. It's also written for someone w/ little medical knowledge, which is helpful if that us you, but annoying if you already know what a tibia or intubation is.
May 3, 2013
The author trained to be a surgeon in the Navy and worked with Special Operations and attached to a SEAL team, as well as working as a trauma surgeon in El Paso. He describes his medical training, which took place in the days when interns were on call for mind-numbingly long hours, for days on end, or saw patients for an entire shift without a food or restroom breaks. He discusses the details of operations to address gun shots, stabbings, motorcycle wrecks, attempted suicide by crossbow, and brutal beatings. He also relates the grueling conditions under which he served as a surgeon in Iraq after 9/11. Through it all, Cole muses on the human capacity for evil and for recovery; he also expounds on how the military and medicine have blessed him with the opportunities to do good, an expanded world view, and a sense of empathy.
It’s an interesting book to the layman; Cole does an admirable job of explaining the steps of various surgeries, though he can’t help but deluge the reader with medical jargon. The book could have used a surer hand at the editorial wheel: Cole is prone to overblown phrases such as “sanguineous fluid” for “blood,” uses “so” as “very,” makes minor mistakes such as saying “no more painful than” when he means “no less painful than,” and litters commas without much thought as to their relations to clauses. Absentee editorship aside, this is a very interesting book, a look into two worlds – that of intense life-saving surgery and that of the military – that the layman rarely sees so up close and personal. Cole comes across as proud of his extensive and admirable accomplishments, as he should be, but his authorial voice is reined in, expansive, and empathetic as he provides candid insight into these worlds.
It’s an interesting book to the layman; Cole does an admirable job of explaining the steps of various surgeries, though he can’t help but deluge the reader with medical jargon. The book could have used a surer hand at the editorial wheel: Cole is prone to overblown phrases such as “sanguineous fluid” for “blood,” uses “so” as “very,” makes minor mistakes such as saying “no more painful than” when he means “no less painful than,” and litters commas without much thought as to their relations to clauses. Absentee editorship aside, this is a very interesting book, a look into two worlds – that of intense life-saving surgery and that of the military – that the layman rarely sees so up close and personal. Cole comes across as proud of his extensive and admirable accomplishments, as he should be, but his authorial voice is reined in, expansive, and empathetic as he provides candid insight into these worlds.
May 13, 2017
For the author, trauma surgery is not just a job and a calling, but an extreme sport. He's excited by complicated cases. The people he operates on are lucky to have him; I have no doubt that he's great at what he does. He also has compassion for all kinds of people (including some pretty unlovable ones) and, from what he says, a good bedside manner. That said, he is also pretty full of himself. He actually describes how, in a talk to a group, he gave them some of his "pearls of wisdom." I don't think he means it tongue-in-cheek.
The book is a very interesting read. He describes some of his more interesting cases in detail; most chapters consist mostly of one or two patients' stories. He has more non-patient-story content about his military experiences. I don't share his world view in, I suspect, a lot of areas. But he's not pushy about it, and it's didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
What did detract, as other reviewers have noted, was the poor editing. This book comes from a major publisher. Don't they have some standards? The usage of commas was atrocious. It was jarring to read sentence after sentence, on every page, with extra commas in places that were just wrong. The sentences were too long and wordy, and there was a significant amount of repetition. And cliches. And awkward phrasing and word usage.
The book is a very interesting read. He describes some of his more interesting cases in detail; most chapters consist mostly of one or two patients' stories. He has more non-patient-story content about his military experiences. I don't share his world view in, I suspect, a lot of areas. But he's not pushy about it, and it's didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
What did detract, as other reviewers have noted, was the poor editing. This book comes from a major publisher. Don't they have some standards? The usage of commas was atrocious. It was jarring to read sentence after sentence, on every page, with extra commas in places that were just wrong. The sentences were too long and wordy, and there was a significant amount of repetition. And cliches. And awkward phrasing and word usage.
June 15, 2021
I do not often rate memoirs that I don’t enjoy. I figure it’s not my place to judge the way someone tells their own story.
HOWEVER.
This was... just not very good. The writing was okay at best. I’m not sure if the manuscript was ever edited (though the punctuation errors were consistent throughout, so maybe?).
I did appreciate the actual medical content, which was roughly 50% of the book. The rest was about being in the military (but somehow without actually writing anything of substance) and judging patients.
The author’s attitude can be summed up by this passage from chapter 23(!):
As a trauma surgeon, I have treated so many social derelicts, deviants, and bums. What I had never been able to do prior to that deployment, however, was have any genuine understanding for how they lived and for why they lived as they did. But that all changed after my deployment.
Call me crazy (or “mentally deranged”, as the author charmingly put it), but surely by the time a doctor is twenty-three chapters into their career they would have developed some compassion and empathy without having to work in an active war zone. SURELY, after a lengthy medical career and the process of writing a book about their patients, a doctor would be able to use less dehumanizing language. Surely a trauma surgeon would be a little more trauma-informed.
I’m not sure who the target audience was, but I guess I’m not part of it.
HOWEVER.
This was... just not very good. The writing was okay at best. I’m not sure if the manuscript was ever edited (though the punctuation errors were consistent throughout, so maybe?).
I did appreciate the actual medical content, which was roughly 50% of the book. The rest was about being in the military (but somehow without actually writing anything of substance) and judging patients.
The author’s attitude can be summed up by this passage from chapter 23(!):
As a trauma surgeon, I have treated so many social derelicts, deviants, and bums. What I had never been able to do prior to that deployment, however, was have any genuine understanding for how they lived and for why they lived as they did. But that all changed after my deployment.
Call me crazy (or “mentally deranged”, as the author charmingly put it), but surely by the time a doctor is twenty-three chapters into their career they would have developed some compassion and empathy without having to work in an active war zone. SURELY, after a lengthy medical career and the process of writing a book about their patients, a doctor would be able to use less dehumanizing language. Surely a trauma surgeon would be a little more trauma-informed.
I’m not sure who the target audience was, but I guess I’m not part of it.
December 24, 2022
Pulse-pounding? Ha ha ha! Never has a more tedious, self-loving, unconsciously racist and lacking in empathy book been written; or maybe it has and I have luckily never come across it. This doctor appears to be going through life alone and quite happily so; no family, no colleagues, no bosses, no friends, no human connection whatsoever. I struggled to the end although I should have dropped it after the first couple of chapters. A total waste of money and my time.
January 22, 2025
Loved it!! Definitely for the medical nerds out here but it’s fascinating
October 30, 2024
I would describe this as a nearly 300 page trauma surgery operative note. Thoroughly enjoyed the case descriptions and gripping accounts of life and death.
March 21, 2015
At the beginning of his book, Dr. Cole writes of himself and his fellow trauma professionals, "we are nothing special." Yet after reading this account of his extraordinary life, I came away finding him quite special. Dr. Cole's love of his country and medicine -- especially trauma surgery -- shine through in every word. Much of the book is a presumably factual account of his experiences with trauma medicine during his medical training, in the military and as an attending surgeon. I really like the way he organized the chapters into vignettes around specific themes (not strictly in chronological order). The stories felt more impactful to me that way, and I found myself caring about the outcomes. Aside from the facts, Dr. Cole also weaves in his opinions on topics from America's involvement in the Middle East, to the rampant dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. He shares his triumphs, struggles and disappointments. I felt that his personal perspective added texture to the story without ever being "preachy". I found this to be a fascinating and eye-opening book, and would gladly read more from the author. Highly recommended for anyone interested in real-world medicine.
May 14, 2025
What an interesting story, filled with raw experiences. A God-fearing man takes us through the good, the bad, and the ugly of both military and civilian trauma medicine. Some grammatical issues that detracted from the overall reading experience, but the stories within are so applicable. 4.5 stars
May 25, 2012
I'm a big fan of The New Yorker surgeon and writer Atul Gawande who has written some wonderful stories with depth and complexity both in The New Yorker and other books of his own. Dr. James Cole is no Atul Gawande when it comes to writing but nonetheless I still enjoyed this book.
What makes James Cole's story unique is that he is both a former Navy officer and a trauma surgeon. Dr. Cole cut his teeth while in residency at a large Army Medical hospital in El Paso, TX. Not only did Dr. Cole serve in the military but he got to experience some impressive feats of duty such as being selected as the trauma surgeon for special forces groups (SEALs, Green Berets, Rangers, ect) as part of the military's USSOCOM program along with being attached to various Marine Corps units over the years. The Marine Corps attachments meant that Dr. Cole had to do grueling 20-30 mile "humps" in the fields of Camp Pendleton along with parachuting out of airplanes to help Special Forces with their medical needs in the field. The stories of Dr. Cole's military service takes him to many far off destinations and is worth a read even with all the medical stuff aside.
Dr. Cole actually got out of the Navy in the year 2000 but the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 prompted him to return as a Navy Reserve trauma surgeon. Within a matter of months he was sent to the war in Afghanistan which he describes as "the most godforsaken place I have ever been. My military career has taken me to many Third World countries over the years, but if ever there was to be a land known as Fourth World country, Afghanistan would be the place." (Cole 209). Here Cole retells stories of men, women, and children with constant suffering of burns on their bodies due to the numerous land mines left over from the Soviet era, along with kerosene lamps tipping over and starting fires in their make-shift homes and structures. After coming home from Afghanistan Dr. Cole no longer enjoyed eating at the fancy restaurants he and wife used to enjoy as seeing people live in such poverty completely changed his perspective of life in the United States.
Each one of these adventures that Dr. Cole experienced brought new and intriguing medical stories from the gang bang shoot em' up trauma cases at his residency at the Army Medical hospital in El Paso, to the cases in battle and back home on the civilian front. There are murders, suicides, and even one story of a young woman near death due to the rush of Black Friday Thanksgiving sales. My favorite story in the book was the story of a woman brought in from an ATV accident who was covered in mud from head to toe who had massive internal bleeding from the ATV crushing her. After recovering from surgery it was discovered that the entire inside of her body, between the layers of muscles and fat (and area known as "fascia") was being eaten alive with a flesh eating bacteria that antibiotics cannot kill (this bacteria most likely picked up from the mud). The only solution was for Dr. Cole to butcher her entire body with numerous surgeries in a vain attempt to cut out all the rotten tissue. You will have to read the book to see how the woman turned out. There are many fascinating and gut wrenching tales to be heard.
Thank you Dr. James Cole for your brave service to our country, no matter how complicated it may have been.
What makes James Cole's story unique is that he is both a former Navy officer and a trauma surgeon. Dr. Cole cut his teeth while in residency at a large Army Medical hospital in El Paso, TX. Not only did Dr. Cole serve in the military but he got to experience some impressive feats of duty such as being selected as the trauma surgeon for special forces groups (SEALs, Green Berets, Rangers, ect) as part of the military's USSOCOM program along with being attached to various Marine Corps units over the years. The Marine Corps attachments meant that Dr. Cole had to do grueling 20-30 mile "humps" in the fields of Camp Pendleton along with parachuting out of airplanes to help Special Forces with their medical needs in the field. The stories of Dr. Cole's military service takes him to many far off destinations and is worth a read even with all the medical stuff aside.
Dr. Cole actually got out of the Navy in the year 2000 but the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 prompted him to return as a Navy Reserve trauma surgeon. Within a matter of months he was sent to the war in Afghanistan which he describes as "the most godforsaken place I have ever been. My military career has taken me to many Third World countries over the years, but if ever there was to be a land known as Fourth World country, Afghanistan would be the place." (Cole 209). Here Cole retells stories of men, women, and children with constant suffering of burns on their bodies due to the numerous land mines left over from the Soviet era, along with kerosene lamps tipping over and starting fires in their make-shift homes and structures. After coming home from Afghanistan Dr. Cole no longer enjoyed eating at the fancy restaurants he and wife used to enjoy as seeing people live in such poverty completely changed his perspective of life in the United States.
Each one of these adventures that Dr. Cole experienced brought new and intriguing medical stories from the gang bang shoot em' up trauma cases at his residency at the Army Medical hospital in El Paso, to the cases in battle and back home on the civilian front. There are murders, suicides, and even one story of a young woman near death due to the rush of Black Friday Thanksgiving sales. My favorite story in the book was the story of a woman brought in from an ATV accident who was covered in mud from head to toe who had massive internal bleeding from the ATV crushing her. After recovering from surgery it was discovered that the entire inside of her body, between the layers of muscles and fat (and area known as "fascia") was being eaten alive with a flesh eating bacteria that antibiotics cannot kill (this bacteria most likely picked up from the mud). The only solution was for Dr. Cole to butcher her entire body with numerous surgeries in a vain attempt to cut out all the rotten tissue. You will have to read the book to see how the woman turned out. There are many fascinating and gut wrenching tales to be heard.
Thank you Dr. James Cole for your brave service to our country, no matter how complicated it may have been.
January 13, 2012
Dr. Cole provides a fascinating look into the adrenaline fueled work of a trauma surgeon. There is lots of cutting and irrigating and suctioning of abdominal cavities and enough detail about patients and procedures to draw the reader in. The variety of case studies is enough to keep it fresh and his considerable knowledge mixes with his also considerable empathy to paint a portrait of an excellent doc. I wish he had shared more of the detail from his deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq and how those experiences made him better in his suburban trauma center at home.
The text could stand another once over with the editor's pen as there are numerous errors. And the book lacks a real beginning, middle and end. Still an interesting read.
The text could stand another once over with the editor's pen as there are numerous errors. And the book lacks a real beginning, middle and end. Still an interesting read.
June 28, 2012
Vignettes/cases of various types (car crashes, fights, gunshot wounds.......) from his work as a trauma surgeon in wide range of settings including Afghanistan and Iraq during his time in the military.
As someone with blood/injury/injection phobia I had to skip all the pictures and skim a decent % of the text as he recounts specific surgeries. Much more interested in the patients' stories themselves.
Mixed bag overall. When he sticks to the cases, it reads very well and moves quickly. The parts about his own training (as you may have heard, medical trainees work a lot and don't get enough sleep), how great he is, and whom he respects (police, military, some other surgeons) or doesn't respect (psychiatrists) are repetitive and clunky.
As someone with blood/injury/injection phobia I had to skip all the pictures and skim a decent % of the text as he recounts specific surgeries. Much more interested in the patients' stories themselves.
Mixed bag overall. When he sticks to the cases, it reads very well and moves quickly. The parts about his own training (as you may have heard, medical trainees work a lot and don't get enough sleep), how great he is, and whom he respects (police, military, some other surgeons) or doesn't respect (psychiatrists) are repetitive and clunky.
May 8, 2017
Great read. I thought that trauma medicine was stressful enough but Dr. Cole also sheds light onto his life as a surgeon abroad during times of war. The stories that Dr. Cole elaborated on were insightful and thought-provoking. He wrote of the highs and the lows of his field and touched on a few of his most memorable patients. I really enjoyed reading this book.
November 5, 2018
Although I am a fan of medical memoirs, especially those of surgeons, this one fell a little flat. The stories were interesting, but the author’s voice lacked a bit of fluidity and dare I say, passion. I just felt bored reading these stories even though they were anything but.
November 23, 2017
Decent
Great stories, highly informative. Author is not a skilled storyteller, so don’t expect to be blown away by the prose.
Great stories, highly informative. Author is not a skilled storyteller, so don’t expect to be blown away by the prose.
March 15, 2021
Enjoyed the stories, but was annoyed by the very poor editing and barely concealed narcissism.
February 3, 2025
3.5 rounded to 4 - Trauma - Or my life as a surgeon who trained in the Navy, with the Marines, earned by SCUBA and parachute badges, deployed with USSOCOM in Afghanistan and Iraq and I also did civilian work in a level 1 trauma center and the cases and adventures I had.
While the last book I read by a neurosurgeon was high and mighty, this one is humble factual recollection of his time through the above-mentioned stages of his career. About half this book is military related with no case stories, but rather stories of deployment, surviving it and learning from it, while the other is civilian cases that stuck with him. We get to read about his medical residency at multiple bases, how he had the privilege of earning not only parachute wings but also SCUBA. He deployed with USSOCOM (United States Special Operations Command) the elite and still came home to his family. He talks how the experiences made him more in touch with peoples suffering, and how God helped him in many of these cases where all seemed lost.
He gives factual statements of how illegal immigrants tax the healthcare system, but also how they are just as deserving of care, and in the same vein how people without insurance who are perfectly legal tax the system in the exact same way. The only practice he comes close to berating is mental health, and how it has a very treat and get out mentality, which causes many cases to relapse or not receive the care they need.
I have no doubt Dr Cole would be an interesting man to meet, and while any autobiography will have some thoughts don't align with mine, but he doesn't preach them, simply statement then moves on. It is an interesting read about a well-traveled and educated trauma surgeon. His author voice is exactly what you'd expect from well dictated notes in an EMR with just enough spice to make it memorable read. Not for everyone, but worked for me.
While the last book I read by a neurosurgeon was high and mighty, this one is humble factual recollection of his time through the above-mentioned stages of his career. About half this book is military related with no case stories, but rather stories of deployment, surviving it and learning from it, while the other is civilian cases that stuck with him. We get to read about his medical residency at multiple bases, how he had the privilege of earning not only parachute wings but also SCUBA. He deployed with USSOCOM (United States Special Operations Command) the elite and still came home to his family. He talks how the experiences made him more in touch with peoples suffering, and how God helped him in many of these cases where all seemed lost.
He gives factual statements of how illegal immigrants tax the healthcare system, but also how they are just as deserving of care, and in the same vein how people without insurance who are perfectly legal tax the system in the exact same way. The only practice he comes close to berating is mental health, and how it has a very treat and get out mentality, which causes many cases to relapse or not receive the care they need.
I have no doubt Dr Cole would be an interesting man to meet, and while any autobiography will have some thoughts don't align with mine, but he doesn't preach them, simply statement then moves on. It is an interesting read about a well-traveled and educated trauma surgeon. His author voice is exactly what you'd expect from well dictated notes in an EMR with just enough spice to make it memorable read. Not for everyone, but worked for me.
January 17, 2019
I think I might (not because of this book, obviously) become a trauma surgeon. So I’d say my opinion is totally biased.
Weird writing at the beginning of the book, with punctuation and words kind of..... weird. I don’t know If I got used to it or it got better (maybe a second editor?), but I ended up feeling even comfortable with Cole’s way of wording his stories.
His stores, by the way, are very good.
This is not a book that you leave social life and clean clothes behind to read in a single sit the whole book, but one you’ll grab on a Sunday night, because you read that initial chapters and, yeah, you find that nice, and you’re not the kind of people who give up on books, and, why not give it another chance? And then it’s 2 am and the stories are so interesting and.... I digress, you get my point. :-)))
I believe some people will be at least uncomfortable with Cole’s tone, and I get it.(It doesn’t affect me anymore because at this point in my life I heard/read so much of the like in med school.. I just put my brain on off mode and up we go.)
The one kind of boring thigh in this book, for me, was the extensive parts about the Army, Navy, etc. I skipped some pages in this chapters, I must confess.
Overall, great book.
Weird writing at the beginning of the book, with punctuation and words kind of..... weird. I don’t know If I got used to it or it got better (maybe a second editor?), but I ended up feeling even comfortable with Cole’s way of wording his stories.
His stores, by the way, are very good.
This is not a book that you leave social life and clean clothes behind to read in a single sit the whole book, but one you’ll grab on a Sunday night, because you read that initial chapters and, yeah, you find that nice, and you’re not the kind of people who give up on books, and, why not give it another chance? And then it’s 2 am and the stories are so interesting and.... I digress, you get my point. :-)))
I believe some people will be at least uncomfortable with Cole’s tone, and I get it.(It doesn’t affect me anymore because at this point in my life I heard/read so much of the like in med school.. I just put my brain on off mode and up we go.)
The one kind of boring thigh in this book, for me, was the extensive parts about the Army, Navy, etc. I skipped some pages in this chapters, I must confess.
Overall, great book.
January 20, 2022
This medical memoir by Dr. James Cole drops you into the hectic and unpredictable life of a trauma surgeon. What the interns and first year residents endure to get through training takes dedication and stamina. Honestly, I don't know how anyone endures the long hours and work conditions but, thank goodness people like Dr. Cole persevere.
This is a fast paced and realistic accounting. While I can't abide looking at graphic images of surgery or trauma when watching medical dramas, I could read this - with the exception of cardic section. That was my real squeamish point in the book, even though other injuries such as a stabbing with a screwdriver, a severe burn patient and gunshots wounds were written in great detail.
Each chapter takes on a different medical emergency. The crossbow incident was both interesting and sad. His time spent with Navy SEALS and his deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan were also interesting to me.
Sharing with Shelleyrae at Book'd Out for the 2022 Nonfiction Reader Challenge.
Category: Medical Memoir
This is a fast paced and realistic accounting. While I can't abide looking at graphic images of surgery or trauma when watching medical dramas, I could read this - with the exception of cardic section. That was my real squeamish point in the book, even though other injuries such as a stabbing with a screwdriver, a severe burn patient and gunshots wounds were written in great detail.
Each chapter takes on a different medical emergency. The crossbow incident was both interesting and sad. His time spent with Navy SEALS and his deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan were also interesting to me.
Sharing with Shelleyrae at Book'd Out for the 2022 Nonfiction Reader Challenge.
Category: Medical Memoir
March 28, 2022
This could have been written better, I suppose, but I was glad it was actually from Dr. Cole and in his voice. He seemed like a really good man and super smart and dedicated. The life of a surgeon is crazy! It was fun to get a glimpse into that world. So glad it's not my world. But I'm also so glad someone is willing to do it.
I was able to follow along pretty well with all the descriptions of medical procedures. He explained clearly. Made me wish again that I'd taken anatomy instead of chemistry in high school.
It was sad to realize that most people who end up in a trauma unit have traumatic lives in general--addictions, poverty, violence-including people who leave the hospital not to go home but to go to trial and prison.
Dr. Cole also served in the military. It was interesting to read how his experience on the ground differed from what he heard in news reports when he got home.
I was able to follow along pretty well with all the descriptions of medical procedures. He explained clearly. Made me wish again that I'd taken anatomy instead of chemistry in high school.
It was sad to realize that most people who end up in a trauma unit have traumatic lives in general--addictions, poverty, violence-including people who leave the hospital not to go home but to go to trial and prison.
Dr. Cole also served in the military. It was interesting to read how his experience on the ground differed from what he heard in news reports when he got home.
June 23, 2024
I struggled to even finish this book - took me a year of occasionally picking it up and reading a couple chapters at a time. It was very poorly written and clearly needed help from some better editors. Beyond that however, was the complete lack of empathy or compassion from the author towards his patients or individuals he encountered throughout his career. Others have summed up some of the comments he made about patients but, as someone going into a surgical career, it’s shocking to see someone write about patients like Dr. Cole did. We obviously see a lot of different things during a career in medicine but never would I even begin to think it would be okay to talk about patients the way Dr. Cole did in this book. It raised many red flags for me and I’m genuinely surprised the hospitals he worked for were okay with him publishing this.
January 8, 2025
4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5.
Trauma: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon is a memoir of the author's years as a practicing trauma surgeon, starting early in his career, moving through time he spent deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq as a military surgeon, and leading up to his current practice at a large Level I Trauma Center. Each chapter focuses on a specific "experience" or patient.
I found the book to be compelling. The author does provide a great deal of detail on surgeries and medical procedures. He often describes in a step-by-step fashion the assessment and treatment he provided. This can slow down the flow a bit, but I found it interesting.
Overall, a good memoir. Dr. Cole provides a lot of honesty in his writing. He, and all health care professionals who work in this challenging field, deserve a great deal of thanks.
Trauma: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon is a memoir of the author's years as a practicing trauma surgeon, starting early in his career, moving through time he spent deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq as a military surgeon, and leading up to his current practice at a large Level I Trauma Center. Each chapter focuses on a specific "experience" or patient.
I found the book to be compelling. The author does provide a great deal of detail on surgeries and medical procedures. He often describes in a step-by-step fashion the assessment and treatment he provided. This can slow down the flow a bit, but I found it interesting.
Overall, a good memoir. Dr. Cole provides a lot of honesty in his writing. He, and all health care professionals who work in this challenging field, deserve a great deal of thanks.
October 9, 2025
Trauma: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon is a visceral, unflinching portrait of life on the razor’s edge between life and death. Dr. James Cole takes readers into the real frontlines of medicine from the chaos of civilian ERs to the battlegrounds of Iraq and Afghanistan delivering a memoir that’s equal parts medical thriller and human testimony.
Cole writes with the candor of a soldier and the compassion of a healer. His accounts of treating the wounded whether victims of war or the broken on America’s streets lay bare not only the intensity of trauma surgery, but the emotional toll and moral weight carried by those who live to save others.
For readers drawn to the authentic grit of Atul Gawande’s Complications or the battlefield realism of War Doctor, this memoir offers an unforgettable look at courage, exhaustion, and the sacred cost of service.
Cole writes with the candor of a soldier and the compassion of a healer. His accounts of treating the wounded whether victims of war or the broken on America’s streets lay bare not only the intensity of trauma surgery, but the emotional toll and moral weight carried by those who live to save others.
For readers drawn to the authentic grit of Atul Gawande’s Complications or the battlefield realism of War Doctor, this memoir offers an unforgettable look at courage, exhaustion, and the sacred cost of service.
October 29, 2018
Well written and easy to follow. Enjoyable without requiring any previous knowledge or formal medical training. This book gives an interesting first-hand account of the training the author received in his pursuit to become a trauma surgeon. The story line is interlaced with dramatic descriptions of scenarios he has encountered throughout the years.
A selection of the stories pull at the reader's emotions with their unfiltered look into the immense sadness and stress of the life-altering encounters this surgeon describes.
A good book that is informative, entertaining, and leaves a lasting impression long after it is finished.
A selection of the stories pull at the reader's emotions with their unfiltered look into the immense sadness and stress of the life-altering encounters this surgeon describes.
A good book that is informative, entertaining, and leaves a lasting impression long after it is finished.
July 18, 2019
Great memoir! While the lengthy writing style sometimes left something to be desired, I felt privileged to read his vulnerable narratives on being a trauma surgeon as both a civilian and Navy doctor. He was honest with his perceptions of his patients, the families he worked with, and his limitations. I think this is an important book to read for understanding the height of OEF and OIF and how it affected families. If you are interested in medicine and/ or the military, then this book is for you.
January 21, 2024
Outstanding
As a former Navy Corpsman and a future physician (don’t want to jinx myself 😬). This was an outstanding read! Dr. Cole’s account of his career as a trauma surgeon & Navy surgeon is about as real as it gets without actually being in the OR or going on a deployment. It allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my own time in the service as well as my time as a firefighter and EMT prior to being in the military. It was an honor to read your book sir. Thank you.
As far as who should read this book or rather who should not read this book. If you get squeamish easily, if you do not have any interest in medical or military jargon, or if have no interest in the special operations community than this book may not be for you.
The only critique I have is to the editor or whomever allowed this book to get to print without Corpsmen being capitalized. Come onnnn sir!! It’s Navy Corpsman/Corpsmen (if plural). This is in jest but it’s a little bit of a pet peeve of mine.
I rarely leave reviews, but after reading this I felt it was warranted. So good!
As a former Navy Corpsman and a future physician (don’t want to jinx myself 😬). This was an outstanding read! Dr. Cole’s account of his career as a trauma surgeon & Navy surgeon is about as real as it gets without actually being in the OR or going on a deployment. It allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my own time in the service as well as my time as a firefighter and EMT prior to being in the military. It was an honor to read your book sir. Thank you.
As far as who should read this book or rather who should not read this book. If you get squeamish easily, if you do not have any interest in medical or military jargon, or if have no interest in the special operations community than this book may not be for you.
The only critique I have is to the editor or whomever allowed this book to get to print without Corpsmen being capitalized. Come onnnn sir!! It’s Navy Corpsman/Corpsmen (if plural). This is in jest but it’s a little bit of a pet peeve of mine.
I rarely leave reviews, but after reading this I felt it was warranted. So good!
March 31, 2025
Really not impressed by this author, much to his dismay, I am sure. It was interesting hearing about the kinds of situations a trauma surgeon deals with, but I could do without the repeated assurances of how superior this author was. The pages are dripping with arrogance. Arrogance and a marked overuse of adjectives and adverbs. I was also struck by the lack of empathy and professionalism this doctor had towards mentally ill patients. Do not recommend.
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