Well, Doc, It Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time!: The Unexpected Adventures of a Trauma Surgeon

by J. Paul Waymack

In 1976, Paul Waymack began chronicling his experience as a third-year medical student, and for the next 20 years, he kept a journal filled with crazy stories of unusual patients, maladies, and international espionage. Some of them, he's the first to admit, seem unbelievable--like chasing a naked patient around the ER parking lot in the middle of the night . . . or constructing a horse sling for a 700-pound patient . . . or treating a patient who swallowed a cigarette lighter . . . or serving as a major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Cold War, on orders of the president and with a KGB agent hot on his tail in the Soviet Union. In his wildest dreams, Dr. Waymack could never have imagined most of what he experienced as a doctor, but these stories are all true. He couldn't have made them up if he tried.

Genres: Nonfiction, Medical, Memoir, Medicine, Humor, Biography, Doctors

272 pages, Paperback

Published October 12, 2017

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is about the stages in the author's life and relates various, generally amusing, anecdotes along the way. I've read a lot of books in this genre and this one is only about average. Although the author had some interesting adventures and exploits, it was a time-filler, nothing memorable. The writing was good, I didn't find any kind of connection that made me want to know the author. For anyone thinking of reading it, if you don't like animal experimentation or the arrogance and misogyny of the medical profession (the author writes of it but does respect nurses and their opinions himself) then you might not like this book at all.

[Adia · Rating 4 out of 5]

the adventures of a surgeon throughout his long career. Hemostat flambé, exploding briefcases, rat resuscitation, patients eating other patient's bile, surgeons shooting goats, and "ice fishing" are but a few of the topics covered. entertaining, though the stories are not limited solely to his experiences in the workplace as i first thought.

[Kay Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

Entertaining writing and filled with stories that will have you laughing out loud or dropping you jaw in total surprise. You won't ever look at your doctors the same after reading this.

[Randi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the author, Paul Waymack, through his adventures in his early years of medical school and beyond. I loved the first half of the book. I thought it was hilarious. There were so many (mis)adventures, and while some of them were hard for me to read because they were pretty gross, I still got a good laugh. The second half was a little harder for me to get through. It was still good, I just found it a little slower and much more serious. Overall it was a good book and I enjoyed it.

[Linda King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book it was humorous and well written.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is what happens when a retired medical doctor who has led an interesting career has supper with a lawyer who dabbles in publishing, whose daughter-in-law is an editor. Notes collected over twenty years of medical school, internship, residency, research leading to a Sc.D., an Army commission and medical mission to Russia, and teaching in medical school can be turned into a book of anecdotes. These sound remarkably like the sorts of stories which such a surgeon might tell at the dining-room table over ... and perhaps they are. A few of these stories are genuinely interesting. For example, the woman who ate three squirrels full of birdshot and appeared on x-ray as if she herself has been shot but presented no entry wounds. Some are genuinely funny. For example, the interns sent to give a woman a whirlpool bath in Betadine who used Betadine scrub (a kind of soap) instead of Betadine solution (which does not bubble) and lost the patient briefly in the mound of red suds created by the water jets. One of the problems which this book suffers is that humour changes over time. The first events in the book are from 1976. Paying back demanding patients by giving them an overdose of laxative may have been funny in the Seventies, but it seems more like grounds for a malpractice suit today. Comments about the physical attributes of nurses may have been the norm in the Seventies but it is the grounds for a gender-based lawsuit today. The antics of alcoholic and drug addicts may have been funny in the Seventies, but they are tragic, pathetic and not at all comedic today. Dr Waymack seems like a mighty fine fellow who led a mildly interesting professional life, but he is man of his times, an only average writer, and you don't need to read his book.

[Sara Fischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read. Plenty of funny anecdotes, but I expected more patient-related mishaps and medical cases. This book follows the doctor quickly through the stages of his career mentioning all types of things that happened around him.

[Karen Miles · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a nurse, it was difficult to read about the way doctors treated nurses and how men treated women in the late 70s/80s. I quit reading it after about the 5th story highlighting the arrogance of many physicians.

[Stephanie Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thoughtful and real

This is a journey of over 20yrs. From med student to upstanding doctor, you are with him all of the way. Good reading!

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

… note to self stop reading healthcare related books for a bit (especially one with entitled privileged people) because reading them just leaves me annoyed lol (not lol-ing at the “humor” for this book. Just gotta remind myself this was healthcare in the 1960s and not in this past decade). Moment of redemption during the USSR arc but then disappointed following

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very fun read. Dr. Waymack has a wide variety of stories, and they range from interesting to funny and even a bit disturbing. My only complaint with this book is that I wanted to read more and more!

[Anna Abney Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trauma Surgery

This book is interesting reading. The author writes about his life as a trauma doctor. It tells about varied interesting and funny times in his career

[Linda King · Rating 4 out of 5]

funny and humourus loved it.

[stormhawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Medical Memoir

Doesn't quite hit the level of quirky hilarity of M*A*S*H, but he gives it a good shot, sharing anecdotes from throughout has medical career, which was quite varied and extensive. The stories are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant. I will say he nailed the psych elements dead on, and always take his advice of listening to nurses and other staff seriously. He was at Hershey Medical Center during the Three Mile Island incident, during which he was honing his skills at practical jokery as there weren't a lot of available patients. He eventually joined the Army, travelled to interesting places, met interesting people and helped them. Which is a funnier joke if you are old enough to remember Vietnam protest posters, and one I'm mildly surprised he didn't try to use.

[Jana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever heard that Doctors are known for having a God complex? Well- this surgeon/author is no different. This book is his story of his career along with some incidents along the way. From his very first day with patients- he thinks he knows better than everybody else and ignores nurse’s advice. One his stories is of his colleges playing tricks on a new, young, beautiful resident, whom they sent into a patients room who had an erection he couldn’t get down. Hmm… can we sexual harassment. How about microwaving rats in a clinic lunchroom- he lacks common sense. Of course, he started med school in the 70’s where there was less oversight in workplace environments. I appreciate the work that he did as a surgeon but I was expecting this book to go a more lighthearted way. I’m left feeling icky.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Animal testing is horrific

The descriptions of how this doctor treated his research animals is chilling. There are many stories of the patients he treated and for the most part, that is OK. But, he also did a lot of research as well and for that, he used rats. He went into detail on the animal testing that he personally did, and the descriptions of how he hurt and maimed innocent animals is horrible.

After the experiences in this book, he apparently started a drug company that is based in Israel. He is in some legal trouble for insider trading on their stock market.

[Ticha_11 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

After trying many times to continue this book, I just feel like DNF it because I just lost interest on it. The first stories were actually pretty funny and relatable since I also work in the healthcare world (not as a doctor, but as a nurse), but the more I progressed, the less connected I felt since he started talking about the army and stuff. Overall what I read was not bad, just don't enjoy it anymore.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stories are interesting, some are funny, some are neither. Sexism in some. His voice was definitely laid back/colloquial. I can imagine him sitting at a dinner party sharing some of these stories in almost the same way they're written. The earlier stories were the funnier/more interesting ones for me and I was expecting them all to be that way: the more outlandish, weird-but-true patient cases. That wasn't the case. I was glad it was on the shorter side. 2.5-3 stars

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing collection of anecdotes

An amusing collection of stories from Dr Waymack. Often very funny especially if you try picture the scene in your mind.

[Annique Mcgregor · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Funny read and relatable to those of us who have in the medical field. You couldn’t make this stuff up if you tried!

[Joanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, Doc, It Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time! by J. Paul Waymack offers an engaging look into the unpredictable life of a trauma surgeon, blending medical cases with personal anecdotes. The book’s strength lies in its accessibility—Waymack writes in a conversational, often humorous tone that makes complex medical situations easy to follow for readers without a medical background.

That said, the experience can feel uneven. Some stories are genuinely compelling and insightful, while others come across as repetitive or underdeveloped, as if they end just when they’re getting interesting. The humor doesn’t always land, and at times the transitions between anecdotes feel loose, which can interrupt the flow. Readers looking for deep emotional reflection or a cohesive narrative arc may find it more episodic than expected.

Overall, it’s an enjoyable, low-effort read that offers a glimpse into the realities and absurdities of trauma surgery, but it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential. Worth picking up if you enjoy medical memoirs and light storytelling, just don’t expect a profound or polished exploration of the field.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book recommended by my mother because she is on it. This book is Paul Waymack"a journey in surgery and research through funny anecdotes. It says 1976through 1991 from Richmond to Hershey to Cincinnati to Galveston to Russoa. In Richmond, Virginia, his career starts with a flashlight, naked patient and his learning of medicine in the emergency medicine. In Hershey, PA, the highlight was 3 mile island. In Cincinnati, he has his residency in Surgery and learn a of Holmes hospital which rich people stay at instead of a hotel. He the starts his fellowship in burns research also in Cincinnati, Ohio where he years lots of days and encounters my mother also doing burns research. He gives a white rat CPR. He then goes to Galveston, TX to be an army surgeon as a burn surgeon where he has experiences with helicopter pilots, exploding suitcases and lost generals. He gets posted on Russia where medicine is 50 years behind and the Americans need to teach modern techniques carefully. My favorite is washing paper gowns. There is humor in this book and interesting, intelligent stories about the medical . In the late 20th century.

[The Jesus Fandom · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a lot of the stories in here were funny, there were a bunch that I really did not support

1) Bullying: One story is where a young nurse calls her senior in the middle of the night to ask him some advice. This wasn't actually necessary, and the senior is so grumpy about it he tells her to clean the bowels of an unconscious person. This means she gets splattered with everything. I felt this whole scene was really weird. If we want people to ask advice, don't be such a gross person when they do. I honestly was kinda mad reading all of this cause of how mean it was.

2) The author describes experiments he did on animals. The experiments are gruesome and cruel, but he makes sure to comfort us it's for a good cause! That's cool and all, but you still went ahead and burned 2/3 of a guinea pig's body.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since his third year residency in 1976, Paul Waymack began writing down over the next 20 years some of the craziest, funniest, and even saddest things he’s encountered as a medical student, doctor, researcher, and even an Army major in the medical corps.


I do have to warn readers that if you have any problems with research on animals, this may not be the best book for you (or at least skip those parts). I do love how he explains some of the science of his research in addition to the ethics and treatment of his subjects. I remember the pipeline explosion in the Soviet Union he talks about. It’s incredible to think of the conditions over there and just how much really hasn’t changed.

[Cynthia Sadler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Memories

The title drew me in to get the book. As a retired OR RN, I knew this author would have a similar sense of humor. Then, I saw he was at Riverside Hospital in Newport News, Virginia the same time I was! I was in nursing school there from 1974 to 1977! I truly enjoyed his escapades in his career. I got a little of his surprise at practices in Siberia when I worked my first position at an old Catholic hospital. They had windows in their it's with window unit air conditioners! At least they didn't open! Also, they had old relics, like a powder station to powder reusable surgical gloves, ( unused any more, of course) . I recommend this book to any medical type readers out there.

[Melissa Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

light-hearted side

I enjoyed Dr. Waymack’s stories. I loved that each chapter was its own story, so small chunks were doable when needed. I laughed out loud in parts. Most of the more humorous stories were earlier in the book, but I could appreciate the humor in all of the stories. :)

I’ve read some reviews that gave lower stars because he talked about animal experiments, but it’s how things were done (and likely still are) or because he mentioned that some doctors in the Soviet Union seemed to enjoy hugging a pretty American nurse. He wasn’t adding his opinion as to whether it was right or wrong, just stating what he saw.

Thank you, Dr. Waymack, for all you’ve done to advance care for burn victims.

[Debra Chiaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am a nurse who graduated the same year Dr Waymack started his experience in the ER and am familiar with what equipment was used by hospitals at that time and reading about his experience I could picture perfectly what he was going through. Although I was not in the armed forces I'm pretty sure that they used the same stuff we did. I did find it appalling that Russian was so far behind in their concepts and how I un-sterile their rooms were. It's amazing that anyone of the patients survived. This book was well written and I am so glad and grateful that Dr Waymack chose to share his experiences with us.

[sequoia spirit · Rating 2 out of 5]

i really love this genre of book.. true tales on the job types.. only a couple of his stories make for interesting reading.. he does seem to ramble on about his military career.. so much of it could be condensed..
what i didn't appreciate was the treatment of lab animals, the nurses, the homeless and the patients in general.. sitting around bummed out because your daily trauma record will be broken without a trauma patient coming in before your shift is over.. only to be thrilled and happy to get that last minute, in the nick of time trauma.. a doctor not just anxiously waiting, but unabashedly hoping for an injury.. sad
2 stars because i did find some interesting medical data

[Tiffany LaShay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried to finish this book but after the military stories I lost interest. I am the kind of reader that hates giving up on a book but it is what it is. I liked the stories in general but I thought this book was going to be ER stories rather than the stories that were written. It did make me realize that I made the right choice not going to the Navy or Marines for dentistry. I commend all of our service men and women but I know I wouldn't be fit for that career choice. Maybe I can finish the book at a later time.