Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs

The Making of a Surgeon

Michael J. Collins, M.D.

St. Martin's Griffin

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It looked for a while as if Michael Collins would spend his life breaking concrete and throwing rocks for the Vittorio Scalese Construction Company. He liked the work and he liked the pay. But a chance remark by one of his coworkers made him realize that he wanted to involve himself in something bigger, something more meaningful than crushing rocks and drinking beer.

In his acclaimed first memoir, Hot Lights, Cold Steel, Collins wrote passionately about his four-year surgical residency at the prestigious Mayo Clinic. Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs turns back the clock, taking readers from his days as a construction worker to his entry into medical school, expertly infusing his journey to become a doctor with humanity, compassion, and humor. From the first time he delivers a baby to being surrounded by death and pain on a daily basis, Collins compellingly writes about how medicine makes him confront, in a very deep and personal way, the nature of God and suffering—and how delicate life can be.

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Praise for Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs

“Collins’s gritty memoir traces his journey from a grimy construction pit to the hallowed halls of medicine. An engaging read—and a valuable reminder that doctors come from all walks of life.” —Sandeep Jauhar, author of Intern: A Doctor’s Initiation

“Collins has a poet’s soul, whether describing the sunrise through a laborer’s eyes or what it means to be human through a physician’s. . . . Literary talent produces this fast-paced memoir filled with easy, unforced dialogue and authentic characters from all walks of life.” —Booklist

“Collins has a superb ear for dialogue, and his breezy style makes his world spring to life.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This is a perceptive, no-frills memoir of a surgeon who succeeded by dint of hard work and brains.” —Publishers Weekly

“Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs is a gripping, humane, humorous, and an enlightening read.” —Abraham Verghese, author of My Own Country, The Tennis Partner, and Cutting for Stone

Reviews from Goodreads

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Mike  rated it  
Dec 19, 2011
Having read Michael Collins's other book, Hot Lights, Cold Steel, I knew what to expect going in...and I was not disappointed in the least.

This book is the pre-quel to his Hot Lights, Cold Steel book where he talks about his life in the years just before and his pre-med experiences. Here ...more
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Minrose  rated it  
Dec 6, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. The author shares his story of an unlikely mix: a construction worker who wanted to become a doctor. I admired his singlemined determination to meet his goal. Absolutely loved the irish family stories, a wonderful read. ...more
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Jillian  rated it  
Oct 27, 2010
Inspiración to the Nth degree. ...more
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About the Author

Michael J. Collins, M.D.

Michael J. Collins, M.D., served as the chief resident in orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic and is now a successful orthopedic surgeon. He is the author of the acclaimed medical memoir Hot Lights, Cold Steel. He lives in Hinsdale, Illinois.

Dr. Michael J. Collins

Dr. Michael J. Collins

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Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs
The Making of a Surgeon
Michael J. Collins, M.D.

Trade Paperback

Trade Paperback
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Griffin
May 2010
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9780312610913
ISBN10: 0312610912
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches, 304 pages
$14.99
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Hardcover
St. Martin's Press
May 2009
Hardcover
ISBN: 9780312532932
ISBN10: 0312532938
6 1/8 x 9 1/4 inches, 304 pages
$24.95

e-Book Agency

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e-Book Agency
St. Martin's Press
May 2010
e-Book Agency
ISBN: 9781429923507
ISBN10: 1429923504
304 pages
$9.99
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