While You Were Asleep: Behind the Scenes Stories from Residency at a Level 1 Trauma Center

While You Were Asleep: What Happens in the Hospital When You’re Not Awake
By Ryan McPherson, D.O.

What really happens in the hospital while you’re under anesthesia, asleep in your bed, or unconscious in the trauma bay?

In this unflinching and unexpectedly funny memoir, general surgery resident Ryan McPherson pulls back the curtain on the world of modern medicine—a world most patients never see. From the brutal learning curve of medical school to the chaos of three a.m. trauma calls, McPherson delivers a gripping insider’s view of what it takes to save lives when no one is watching.

While You Were Asleep is more than just blood, scalpels, and pager tones in the night. It’s a deeply personal journey—from a skateboarding California kid who couldn’t stand the sight of blood to a physician with his hands inside someone’s chest. Along the way, McPherson wrestles with burnout, doubt, grief, and the haunting moments that follow, long after your shift ends.

Equal parts raw, reflective, and darkly humorous, this memoir is for anyone who’s ever wondered what really goes on behind those hospital doors—and for everyone who’s ever trusted a stranger with their life while they slept.

Perfect for fans of When Breath Becomes Air , Being Mortal , and Kitchen Confidential , as well as T.V. shows like The Pitt , Scrubs , House MD , and The Resident.