Key Points Summary by Michelle Lee
Dr. Davis’ book is available here.
Chris Davis, MD, is a lifelong ER doctor. At age 74, he was not allowed to be back in the ER by his wife during Covid. He pivoted to write a book detailing the most memorable 30 cases in his 35-year career.
In the 1970s, demand for ER services was rising nationally, however, there was not sufficient ER doctor training which covering 32 fields. Before ER, Chris interned at the Air Force. He was trained emergency medicine at John Hopkins with a lot of work, a crushing budget, a poor community to serve and 20 hours on/20 hours off schedule.
ER doctors need to do critical and sometimes simple procedures, such as raising patient’s legs up, in the first 10 minutes to save lives.
While other doctors have linear relationship with their patients, have scheduled appointments and treat specific ailments. ER doctors have non-linear relationship. They have only 45 second to build relationship by saying things like “Mr. Jones, I understand you have a terrible day today” “you and I are in this together”
When Chris could not find a diagnosis for a patient, he would encourage him/her to come back and give his telephone number to call if needed.
ER doctors face fear, exhaustion, life and death chaotic environment. They usually have military experience, the right spouse and a supportive family. They are also comfortable with uncertainties and can make quick decisions. One third of their working hours will be at night and on holidays. Whoever wants this kind of life has to be satisfied that he/she makes a big difference in patients’ lives and be settled with that satisfaction. He/she may not see their patients again not to mention any appreciation received.
Although ER doctors are the ones who burnout or died from Covid, applications for medical school has gone up 50% and ER is a popular residency. Some of the ER doctors may not come back but 80%/core group of ER doctors who have military experience will survive.
In fact, Chris’ son is currently enrolled in Washington State University to be an ER doctor after 10-year military service.
“Might have been” “could have been” doubts happened in Chris’ early career years. This book also helps Chris to cope with that emotion.
No one schedules an appointment with an Emergency Room Doctor. You meet one when life doesn’t go as planned. Survival requires immediate dependence and trust in a stranger in a white coat. As soon as the imminent danger has passed— they are off to the next case. Many patients don’t realize that their stories stay with those that served them. Patients have the most to teach about humility and humanity. “Compassion Amidst the Chaos” is brimming with the tension, anguish, exhaustion, relief, gratitude, and compassion that are all part of a typical day at work in the ER. Travel with Dr. Chris Davis through the cases he remembers most from his 35-year career as an emergency medicine doctor.
Dr. Christopher Davis has cared for over 100,000 patients during his 35-year career as an emergency medicine doctor. He has taught medical students, nurses, paramedics, and doctors in the Washington DC area, the Pacific Northwest, and as guest faculty in Laos, Bhutan, Cambodia and Uganda. Dr. Davis earned his BS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1968, his MD from the George Washington University School of Medicine in 1972 and completed his 1 year internship there. In 1973, he started a 3 year position as a US Air Force Flight Surgeon. He recounts two stories in this book that earned him the Air Force Flight Surgeon of the Year award and the US Meritorious Service Medal. After his residencies at John Hopkins in Emergency Medicine and at Georgetown in Internal Medicine, he proceeded to teach and practice Emergency Medicine in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia from 1980 to 1996. He then taught and practiced in the state of Washington from 1996 to 2019.