A MEDICAL NOVEL
The Long White Coat:
Death Can Wait
San Francisco, 1975. Some patients aren’t dying by chance.
— by C. Robert Pettit M.D
“At 3:14 a.m., I stood over a patient who, by every law of medicine, should have been alive. The monitors were silent. And I knew — this was no longer a coincidence. Someone in this hospital had decided who would live… and who would die.”
— The Long White Coat: Death Can Wait
Meet the Characters
Lewis Merritt
Young surgical resident driven by curiosity, ambition, and a growing suspicion that something inside the hospital is terribly wrong.
Paula
Brilliant medical student reconnecting with Lewis while navigating ambition, pressure, and dangerous emotions.
Chuck Peyronie
Feared chief resident and surgical prodigy who rules the trauma floor through intimidation and relentless discipline.
Marcus
Highly intelligent medical student whose fascination with death and human behavior makes everyone around him uneasy.
San Francisco. 1975.
Before modern medicine.
Before digital records.
Before anyone could track the pattern.
Inside one of America’s most intense trauma hospitals, young surgeons fight exhaustion, politics, addiction, violence — and something far more dangerous.
Why You’ll Love It
01
Insider Perspective
A rare look inside UCSF from a real surgeon who trained there. Every detail — pressure, politics, and life-or-death decisions — comes from experience.
02
Heart-Pounding Suspense
Patients are dying under suspicious circumstances. Only one intern sees the terrifying pattern. A chilling medical mystery unfolds inside the hospital.
03
Emotional Depth & Romance
Intense relationships and forbidden romance bloom amid exhaustion and high-stakes drama. Feel the raw humanity of young doctors fighting for lives — and love.
04
Unmatched Authenticity
Written by a board-certified physician with 35+ years experience. The most realistic medical thriller blending Robin Cook and Michael Crichton.
About the author
C. Robert Pettit
— Physician, M.D
Board-certified ENT surgeon with 35+ years of experience, trained at Stanford and UCSF. Author of The Long White Coat, inspired by real surgical training and medical practice.
Step Into the Reality of Medicine
A powerful story that reveals the truth behind the white coat