🫀 Welcome to ROSC - Return of Spontaneous Circulation
Stories from the Frontlines of Emergency Medicine
Every shift begins with a deep breath.
I’m an emergency physician in a regional trauma, stroke, and cardiac center — the kind of place people arrive when time is measured not in minutes, but in heartbeats.
For over a decade, I’ve stood at the intersection of life and death. I’ve called time of death at 3 AM. I’ve restarted hearts. I’ve been someone’s worst day and their last hope. I’ve also hidden in the supply room to cry.
This newsletter — ROSC — started as a way to survive burnout.
Writing became a lifeline. A way to process the unspoken weight of the work, to make sense of the chaos, and to stay connected to why I chose medicine in the first place.
Now I’m sharing these stories with you.
Not just the high-stakes resuscitations, but the quiet, personal, and absurd moments that define emergency medicine. Some are tragic. Some are funny. All are true.
Whether you're a trainee, a clinician, or someone simply curious about what actually happens behind those hospital doors, I invite you to come along.
Each week, you’ll receive:
Stories from the frontline
Reflections on medicine, mortality, and meaning
A candid look at the emotional toll of frontline care — and the resilience it demands
👉 Subscribe now to receive new stories directly in your inbox.
No jargon. No filter. Just real medicine.
Thanks for being here.
— Dr. Mike Rubin