Name: _____________________
Block: ___________
Complications by Atul Gawande
Reading Schedule and Unit Guide
Complications: A Surgeon's Note on an Imperfect Science is the quintessential Pre-Med Core text. A collection
of stories and personal essays written by Dr. Atul Gawande during his surgical residency, Complications will
make you think about what fascinates, confounds, and connects us all about the field of medicine. Gawande
describes his experiences in the field, in learning and interpreting medical mysteries and facing uncertainties,
and the philosophical questions he encounters from these experiences
Reading Schedule
You must have each section read by the date indicated. Most reading sections will be started in class and
completed at home. Quizzes will be given without notice to assess your understanding of the reading.
Annotations (on post-its or separate sheet of paper) are expected but will not be checked on a regular basis.
pages
Date Due_A/B
Part I – Fallibility
“Education of a Knife”
11-34
Wed./Thurs. 2/27, 2/28
“The Computer and the Hernia Factory”
35-46
Fri./Mon. 3/1, 3/4
“When Doctors Make Mistakes”
47-74
Tues./Wed. 3/5, 3/6
“When Good Doctors Go Bad”
88-106
Thurs./Fri. 3/7, 3/8
Part II – Mystery
“The Pain Perplex”
115-129
Mon./Tues. 3/11, 3/12
“Crimson Tide”
146-161
Wed./Thurs. 3/13, 3/14
“The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Eating”
162-183
Fri./Tues. 3/15, 4/2
Spring Break 3/18-4/1
Part III – Uncertainty
“Final Cut” AND
“Whose Body is it Anyway”
187-201
208-227
Wed./Thurs. 4/3, 4/4
“The Case of the Red Leg”
228-252
Fri./Mon. 4/5, 4/8
On-Going Reading Task: Vocabulary in Context Log
With each reading section, you will receive a new set of vocab words that appear in that story. I will provide the
new words with page numbers underneath the homework board each day. For each word, you are expected to
do the following:
1. Copy the sentence as it appears in the book, underlining the word.
2. Using context clues, identify the part of speech of the word as it’s used in the sentence. Then, explain
which clues in the sentence indicated that this was the part of speech, i.e. why must it be a noun?
3. Using context clues, identify a minimum three-word definition of the word. Then explain which clues in
the sentences indicated that this was the definition. You can also use the word’s roots/prefixes/suffixes
as clues.