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Frequently Asked Questions

How was the this book selected?

Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science was selected for the 2007 literature experience by a group of faculty, staff and administrators at USU who reviewed books suggested by the campus and community at large as well as books used by summer reading programs at universities across the country. The group initially narrowed the long list of books to about twenty, then further narrowed the list to four. The university community, particularly students, were invited to read and provide feedback about the four books. Ultimately, the committee was unanimous in selecting this book for this year.

The committee felt the book was a strong choice because of its wide appeal to readers and its potential for being integrated into the academic curriculum in a number of ways. It is an example of good writing in the essay style. The book is a compilation of 14 essays written for the New Yorker magazine, where Gawande is a staff writer on medicine and science. The book will encourage discussion of how we learn, how we know what we know and don't know, what we expect from science in our world today, and our role in the medical world.

In Complications, Dr. Gawande offers a raw view from the scalpel's edge, where science is ambiguous, information is limited, the stakes are high, yet decisions must be made. In dramatic and revealing stories of patients and doctors, he explores how deadly mistakes occur and why good surgeons go bad. He shows what happens when medicine comes up against the inexplicable. At once tough-minded and humane, Complications is nuanced and lucid, unafraid to confront the conflicts and uncertainties that lie at the heart of modern medicine, yet always alive to the possibilities of wisdom in humanity's heroic attempts at healing.
Speakers Bureau http://www.vipcs.org/conf2005/speakers2005.htm

What criteria were used in selecting the title?

The committee looked for a book that had engaging themes for entering college students. They wanted a book that would be so captivating that the students would want to read the book with or without formal structure and guidance. The book's medical subject matter is of strong interest to students and community members alike. The book contains themes that will resonate with students today and in their future. The author discusses the value of risk taking in learning, the roles of patient and surgeon in making medical decisions, issues regarding reliance on medical technology as the sole diagnostic tool, professional medical burnout, and the tentative nature of scientific discovery. The students will be asked to write about these topics using their own experiences with medical care, their perception of the role of experts, and their role as both medical consumers and learners.

The committee hopes to select a variety of titles over the years for the Literature Experience.
Previous selections include:

2003: May Out West - poems by May Swenson
2004: Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League - a biography by Ron Susskind
2005: When the Emperor was Divine - a novel by Julie Otsuka
2006: Warriors don't Cry - a memoir by Melba Patillo Beals

What else is going on, relating to the book?

The university invites the Cache Valley community, parents of incoming students, and alumni to join in reading this book, so that the literature experience becomes a community-wide experience. The last day of Connections, a convocation will be held in the Kent Concert Hall on the Utah State University campus to cap off this joint reading. The speaker will be someone related to the book. and a few lucky students will have the opportunity to have lunch with the speaker when he/she comes to campus. See the Connections website for more information (http://www.usu.edu/connections/literatureexperience/lunch.cfm).

Is the book required for the course?

Yes, the book is required for the course, but you do not need to be enrolled in Connections in order to read the book. In fact, parents, alumni, and community members are enthusiastically encouraged to join us in reading the book and are invited to attend the Convocation presentation on Saturday, the last day of Connections, in the Kent Concert Hall on the Utah State University campus.

Is there an assignment connected to the book?

Yes, there is a journal assignment required by the Connections course. Students should consult the Connections website (http://www.usu.edu/connections/literatureassignment) for more specific requirements.

What if I have a book that I think is a better choice?

Suggestions for future titles are welcome. Please provide them to the selection committee for future consideration. Each fall, the committee will issue a community-wide call for suggestions for the next book. In the meantime, you can e-mail your suggestions to Noelle Call at noelle.call@usu.edu.

Where can the book be purchased?

Merrill-Cazier Library has several copies of the book available for a one-week checkout period. The book may be purchased from the USU bookstore, local and online retailers.