Hospital

The hospital is where many of the experiences in the book take place. The hospital is where both doctors and patients are present.

House Calls

Gawande makes several visits to patients' homes to see how they are recovering. The house call serves to develop the relationship between doctor and patient.

Residency Program

A residency program is required of doctors who have completed medical school and have picked a speciality to train in for the next several years. The residency program is intended to provide real world experiences and hands-on learning for doctors.

Surgeons

Surgeons, though always learning on the job, typically exude confidence and are intended to represent the closest thing to perfection possible in an uncertain world.

Patients

Patients are those in need of the Doctors' care and attention at the hospital. They are usually characterized by the disease they have.

Shouldice Hospital

The Shouldice Hospital...