About this episode
Tess Gerritsen , bestselling author and former physician, joins Art to explore the dark side of medical practice. What happens when those sworn to heal become instruments of harm? From her unique perspective as both doctor and thriller writer, Gerritsen reveals chilling true stories from hospital corridors and operating rooms. The conversation delves into medical malpractice, surgical nightmares, and cases where patients faced unthinkable horrors at the hands of their caregivers. Art and Tess examine the psychological pressures of medical training, the culture of silence that protects incompetent doctors, and how institutional arrogance has led to countless preventable deaths. They discuss historical medical disasters, from contaminated surgical instruments to the deliberate withholding of anesthesia, and explore modern concerns including the looming threat of avian flu. Gerritsen shares her family emergency plan and offers sobering insights into what a pandemic might look like. The discussion touches on the spiritual aspects of medicine, near-death experiences during surgery, and whether evil can manifest through medical practice. This haunting episode reveals how the healing profession can sometimes become a gateway to unspeakable darkness.