Overview

"Charity's Children tells the true story of the training of a cardiovascular surgeon, from his internship through his year as chief resident at Charity Hospital, one of the world's largest and most important teaching hospitals. This story is set in the early days of cardiac surgery-the late 1960s through 1970s, when today's technology was not yet available. The author takes you into his life, from the lowest-level intern performing round-the-clock tasks and duties to his later role as teacher with the life-and-death responsibilities. Readers witness in detail the emergency trauma and elective cardiovascular cases that were performed. Initially, Ciaravella wanted only to document the many ""only at Charity"" stories that the had been involved with or that had been passed down from his Charity-trained surgeon father. He was, however able to interview thirty of his contemporaries who were either chief residents when he was an intern or, now-practicing surgeons that were interns or junior residents when he was chief resident. The early history of Charity is chronicled, as are the professors who significantly impacted his life and his training. His section titled ""Breaking News"" describes in detail several major events that rocked the city of New Orleans, and details how they impacted Charity Hospital with never-before-told eye witness accounts of sacrifice and dedication."

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9781736154922

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Reviews

An insightful glimpse into the golden age of New Orleans and American surgery, filled with stories of growth, triumph, tragedy, and commitment to serve. As inscribed on the walls and soul of the hospital: Where the Unusual Occurs and Miracles Happen. Charity's doors may be closed, but these stories live on. Mary T. Killackey, MD, FACS, Chair, Department of Surgery; Professor of Surgery & Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Ciaravella not only captures the spirit of Charity but also the character of the surgeons who had the courage and stamina to endure privations required to train here. He delivers a very personal account of outstanding surgical education in the mid-twentieth century. The trainees come to life under his colorful descriptions of their long days and nights! -Larry H. Hollier, MD, FACS, FACC, FRCS (Eng.), Chancellor, LSU Health Sciences Center. Dr. James Ciaravella, a distinguished cardiothoracic surgeon, tells the story of Charity Hospital, based on his experience in surgical training at that celebrated New Orleans institution. Once one of the outstanding and largest teaching centers in the world, Charity still stands, abandoned in 2005 after the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Charity served the people of Louisiana and served as the primary teaching facility for two exceptional and proud medical schools.-Robert L. Hewitt, MD, Chairman of the Department of Surgery of Tulane University School of Medicine, 1998-2006; Emeritus Professor, 2006.

"""An insightful glimpse into the golden age of New Orleans and American surgery, filled with stories of growth, triumph, tragedy, and commitment to serve. As inscribed on the walls and soul of the hospital: Where the Unusual Occurs and Miracles Happen. Charity's doors may be closed, but these stories live on."" Mary T. Killackey, MD, FACS, Chair, Department of Surgery; Professor of Surgery & Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine. ""Dr. Ciaravella not only captures the spirit of Charity but also the character of the surgeons who had the courage and stamina to endure privations required to train here. He delivers a very personal account of outstanding surgical education in the mid-twentieth century. The trainees come to life under his colorful descriptions of their long days and nights!"" -Larry H. Hollier, MD, FACS, FACC, FRCS (Eng.), Chancellor, LSU Health Sciences Center. Dr. James Ciaravella, a distinguished cardiothoracic surgeon, tells the story of Charity Hospital, based on his experience in surgical training at that celebrated New Orleans institution. Once one of the outstanding and largest teaching centers in the world, Charity still stands, abandoned in 2005 after the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Charity served the people of Louisiana and served as the primary teaching facility for two exceptional and proud medical schools.-Robert L. Hewitt, MD, Chairman of the Department of Surgery of Tulane University School of Medicine, 1998-2006; Emeritus Professor, 2006."

Author Information

James Ciaravella Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from Tulane University in 1964 and his MD from Tulane Medical School in 1968. Following a straight surgery internship at Charity Hospital (1968-1969), he completed his general and cardiovascular surgical residency in 1977. He served two years' active duty in the US Air Force (1970-1972), finishing with the rank of major. He served as chief resident on the Tulane Surgical Service and as Assistant Clinical Director at Charity from 1976-1977. Following training at Charity Hospital he was accepted to a special fellowship in cardiac surgery at the Mayo Clinic. In 1978 he was appointed assistant professor of surgery and pediatrics at Children's Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. In 1980 he moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where he practiced cardiovascular and thoracic surgery until his retirement in 2003. He then started Dr. C's Designs, making custom Western furnishings, and subsequently began oil painting and sculpting. He has been a juried artist to the Western Design Conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the past sixteen years, and has twice served as a judge in that event. His art has served as the cover on three editions of the Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society. His bronze sculpture of the noted Crow chief and historian Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, the only authorized sculpture of Dr. Medicine Crow, is in the collections of two museums. In 2009 Dr. Ciaravella designed, sculpted and donated to the city of Shreveport the US Navy SEAL Memorial honoring two of Shreveport's fallen heroes: Lieutenant Commander Jonas Kelsall and Chief Petty Officer Robert Reeves. Dr. Ciaravella and Len, his wife of forty-nine years, live in Shreveport, Louisiana, for half the year and in Alpine, Wyoming, for the other half.

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