On this edition of our spotlight on arts, culture, and lifestyle, a reprise of an eye-opening look at the lifesaving work of the tremendously dedicated, hard-working medical staff at a Canadian trauma hospital during the war in Afghanistan.
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Many might recall the hit TV series, M.A.S.H. about a front-line trauma treatment centre during the Korean War.
It seems that, the necessary quirky characters required for a mostly comedic show aside, the real situation is not entirely different when severely wounded soldiers arrive.
Marc Dauphin, who retired from the Canadian Forces with the rank of Major, details his experience as a leader of a trauma unit in Afghanistan during the conflict there.
His book is called Combat Doctor: Life and Death Stories from Kandahar’s Military Hospital.
Marc Dauphin was an emergency room doctor in civilian life with previous military medical experience.
Frustrated by some of the politics and inadequacies of the public medical system in this country, he kept in contact with former military friends. When a need arose for staff to fill positions in Afghanistan, he was eager to go.
Because of his long experience as an emergency room doctor, administrator, and military backround, he was called on a 6-month mission (Roto) to supervise a Canadian military trauma hospital in Kandahar.
This book is a well-written explanation of what transpires inside a trauma unit in war.
It is at the same time a glowing report of the superb skill and dedication of the Canadian medical staff there, from the front-line medically trained soldiers, to the nurses and surgical staff who work tirelessly and with enormous skill to save the lives of often horrifically maimed soldiers and Afghan civilians.
The story is also a tribute to the Canadian military and the training that enabled the staff to have one of the best survival rates of any trauma hospital anywhere at anytime, and this in spite of the dust, the noise, and working in a structure comprised of converted shipping containers, tents and plywood.
The book is insightful, informative, entertaining, and emotionally touching,
I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dr Marc Dauphin about the book and his experiences.