Doctor Spight by L.M. Asta
Review By: Mary Evangelisto Miller
Dr. Drew Spight, an obstetrics and gynecology attending at St. Thomas Medical Center in Philadelphia, wanted to escape. He had had enough of St. Thomas; the OB (“Old Bastard,” aka Dr. Owen Bates), his supervisor; being his mother’s caregiver as her multiple sclerosis progressed; and, most of all, “the aura of failure that clung to him like tobacco smoke.” His traditional method of escape was something else he desperately wanted to leave behind, after it led to a severe traffic accident, substantial injuries, a hospital stay that revealed his ongoing problem through toxicology reports, and forced membership in the “Physician Wellness Committee,” along with mandated drug testing.
Repeated calls from a former colleague to join him out west provided just that means of escape. Trading one coast for another, moving from a busy inner-city hospital to a private surgicenter providing cosmetic procedures to women in Los Angeles, seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. As Dr. Eric Xavier told Drew: “You tighten this, you tighten that, and the best thing of all, it’s all self-pay.” Repeated reprimands of Dr. Xavier over the years for infractions ranging from negligence to incompetence to inappropriate behavior with female patients and staff, with resultant probation and threats of license revocation, gave Drew pause, but as the pressures in Philly mounted, the call of the west became insurmountable. Even the OB’s last-minute attempt to entice Drew to remain in Philly with the promise of promoting him to chair of the department could not keep Drew at St. Thomas.
Drew wanted to leave many aspects of his old life behind, particularly his long history of substance abuse. Was placing 2,700 miles between his old life and a new one the answer? Would he be satisfied with performing G-spot enhancement and mommy makeover procedures instead of complex, lifesaving obstetric and gynecologic surgery? Adding to the complexity of the situation, revelations about institutional and political irregularities at both Drew’s previous and new environments begin to emerge, leading to further entanglements. Drew’s reunion with his friend Dr. Lakshmi Rangwala at a convention in Los Angeles, as well as his new involvement with Edie Mitchell, a patient-cum-investigational journalist, lead to more questions—ones that only Drew and his coterie can unravel.
The story of Dr. Spight and his progression from resident to seasoned physician, and his struggles with substance abuse, institutional politics, and colleagues, make for a fascinating look behind the curtain in two settings: an urban hospital and a plastic surgery clinic, varying widely in the procedures they perform and the clientele they serve. Dr. Spight is a complex character with motivations and challenges to which we all can relate, leading him through physical and inner evolution and, ultimately, a satisfying resolution. Dr. Spight’s cross-country experiences, as well as an eclectic cast of characters and unexpected narrative twists, make for an exciting, interesting read.
L. M. Asta has published fiction in Zone 5, Inkwell, Philadelphia Stories, Battered Suitcase, and Schuylkill. Her essays have appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association and Hippocrates. She trained in Philadelphia and writes and practices in Northern California.
Mary Evangelisto Miller (left) is a freelance writer and editor based in Bucks County. She has been self-employed as a medical editor for 22 years. Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and English from Temple University and a master’s degree in English and Publishing from Rosemont College.