June 11, 2014

Level One Trauma

PBS 6 to rebroadcast Level One Trauma in celebration of the release of Dr. Peter Rhee’s new book, “Trauma Red: The Making of a Surgeon in War and in American Cities”

Tucson, Arizona – May 27, 2014 – To celebrate the June 3rd release of “Trauma Red: The Making of a Surgeon in War and in America’s Cities,” the new book by Dr. Peter Rhee, Chief of Trauma, Critical Care, Burn and Emergency Surgery at the University of Arizona, PBS 6 will rebroadcast the AZPM original documentary Level One Trauma on Tuesday, June 3 at 8 p.m.

About Level One Trauma: Level One Trauma, a one-hour documentary produced by Arizona Public Media (AZPM®), is a revealing, personal and gripping look behind the scenes at the University of Arizona Medical Center’s Level One Trauma Center. This documentary takes the audience inside a trauma unit as first responders, doctors, nurses and other specialists struggle to save lives on a daily basis. In the documentary, patients and their families share very personal stories about their survival and care. Every person involved, beginning with the 911 operator, is part of a system specifically designed to get trauma victims the best care as quickly as possible. Visit the documentary’s webpage to watch the complete film.

About the Book, “Trauma Red: The Making of a Surgeon in War and in America’s Cities”:

On Saturday, January 8, 2011, Dr. Peter Rhee was called into work – on his first day off in weeks – to Tucson's University Medical Center Trauma Center, where 10 gunshot victims were being rushed after a man opened fire on a crowd of people at a local supermarket. One of the victims was Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. It was a day the nation would never forget, but for Dr. Rhee, it was also just another day on the job, saving lives.

In his gripping memoir, Dr. Rhee recalls that "challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating, heartbreaking, satisfying, bloody, bloody, bloody day at the office," and the path that led him there. From his youth in South Korea and Uganda – where he once watched his surgeon father remove a spear from a man's belly – to frontline surgery in Iraq and Afghanistan, to trauma centers on the urban battlefields of Los Angeles and Washington, DC, Dr. Rhee's life story is so much more than you already know!

The UA Bookstore will celebrate the release of his new book on May 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Student Union Memorial Center.

Level One Trauma Film credits: Tom Kleespie, Senior Producer, Special Projects Robert Lindberg, Senior Videographer Steve Riggs, Videographer Steve Bayless, Video Editor Matt Ehrichs, Video Editor Narration: Debbe Hirata

About Dr. Peter Rhee: Dr. Peter Rhee is the Chief of Trauma, Critical Care, Burns and Emergency Surgery as well as Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona. He is also Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Surgery at University of Arizona and holds the Martin Gluck Endowed Chair. Previously, Dr. Rhee held appointments as Director of the Navy Trauma Training Center; Attending Surgeon at Los Angeles County Medical Center; Professor of Surgery at the University of Southern California; and Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). He is a retired US Navy Captain following 24 years of active duty.

About Tom Kleespie: Tom Kleespie is Senior Producer, Special Projects at Arizona Public Media. He has produced national documentaries at AZPM for 25 years including Phoenix Mars Mission: Onto the Ice and Unforgettable: The Korean War, the only two AZPM programs on the PBS primetime schedule. He's traveled the deserts of the world for 19 seasons for his work on The Desert Speaks, airing on over 300 PBS stations nationally and is the winner of multiple regional and national awards.

About the Trauma Center at the University of Arizona Medical Center: The Division of Trauma, Critical Care, Burn and Emergency Surgery at the University of Arizona is nationally recognized and best known for its expertise in emergency surgery and trauma care. Its surgeons are also key to the University's general surgery work, performing thousands of these procedures every year. For more information about the UAMC Trauma Center, visit here.

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