A woman stuck in an iron lung. A burn victim more than 100% likely to die. A thief shot twice in the penis. A psych patient chewing off her own face. A guy with a hole in his heart—and another man’s finger for a lifeline.
These are just some of the true stories about people treated by Dr. John Harch during his surgical training at an inner-city trauma hospital in Los Angeles, California. Amidst unthinkable chaos, madness, and dark humor, the young medical resident contemplates how to survive while retaining his humanity. He struggles to balance 110-hour work weeks, love and lust, and the risk of dismissal from the very program that is his life’s goal.