When respected physician Dr. Scott Kolbaba began collecting stories of inexplicable medical events from his colleagues, he uncovered a hidden phenomenon within the medical community—doctors experiencing extraordinary events they couldn't explain through conventional science but rarely shared for fear of professional ridicule. What began with a single compelling account from orthopedic surgeon Dr. Dave Mockl about a patient who accurately described details of her own resuscitation while clinically dead has since evolved into an ongoing collection of similar experiences from physicians worldwide.

These remarkable narratives, shared by highly credentialed medical professionals including surgeons, internists and specialists, challenge conventional medical understanding while revealing a previously undocumented aspect of healthcare. Dr. Kolbaba, himself a distinguished internist trained at the Mayo Clinic and recognized in Chicago magazine as a top doctor, has discovered that such unexplainable experiences are far more common in medicine than publicly acknowledged—with enough new submissions continuing to arrive for potential future volumes of his work. These accounts offer a rare glimpse into moments when science-oriented professionals encounter phenomena that transcend their medical training yet profoundly impact their understanding of patient care.

Key Takeaways

Dr. Scott Kolbaba collects extraordinary medical experiences that challenge conventional understanding.
Many physicians hesitate to share their unexplained encounters due to professional stigma despite having compelling stories.

Dr. Scott Kolbaba's Background

Dr. Scott Kolbaba is an internist with a private medical practice in Wheaton, Illinois. He completed his medical education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, graduating with honors. His medical training continued with residencies at both the Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

As a testament to his medical expertise, Dr. Kolbaba has been awarded membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Chicago magazine has recognized him as a top doctor in Internal Medicine. His professional life centers around primary care, where he treats everything from minor ailments to critical conditions like heart attacks and strokes.

Dr. Kolbaba describes himself as an "ordinary doc" who has always wanted to be a physician. He particularly enjoys the unpredictability of primary care, never knowing what medical issue might come through his door next. His daily practice includes treating various conditions ranging from common illnesses to serious medical emergencies.

About five years before writing his book, Dr. Kolbaba had a life-changing experience that eventually led him to compile "Physicians Untold Stories." The book features remarkable accounts from 26 physicians who shared extraordinary experiences they encountered in their medical practice. These stories, which many doctors had previously kept private for fear of professional ridicule, prompted Dr. Kolbaba to document these unusual medical experiences.

Doctor Discovers Colleagues' Paranormal Encounters

From Medicine to Literature

Dr. Scott Kolbaba's journey from practicing physician to published author wasn't planned. As an internist in private practice in Wheaton, Illinois, he spent decades focused on patient care. His medical credentials are impressive, having graduated with honors from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed residencies at both Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center and the prestigious Mayo Clinic. He's been recognized in Chicago magazine as a top doctor in Internal Medicine and holds membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Catalyst for "Doctors' Extraordinary Experiences"

About five years ago, an unexpected encounter changed Dr. Kolbaba's professional trajectory. A colleague approached him in the hospital with a story so compelling it had to be shared in private. This initial story led Dr. Kolbaba to discover that many physicians had experienced inexplicable events during their medical practice but kept them quiet. These hidden narratives continued to find their way to him, as if by some unseen design. Many doctors hesitated to share such experiences publicly due to concerns about professional reputation and potential patient reactions.

First Transformative Account: Mary's Experience

The pivotal story that launched Dr. Kolbaba's collection came from Dr. Dave Mockl, an orthopedic surgeon. It involved their mutual patient Mary, who had clinically died on the operating table after an allergic reaction to antibiotics during ankle surgery. During the code:

A medical technician with bright red hair began CPR
Dr. Mockl had to push this person aside to perform proper compressions
Dr. Mockl repeatedly looked toward the door hoping Dr. Kolbaba would arrive

When Mary regained consciousness days later, she thanked Dr. Mockl for saving her life and described the entire resuscitation in detail—including how he pushed the technician aside and kept looking toward the door. She reported seeing her deceased grandmother, who told her "it wasn't her time." Perhaps most remarkably, Mary's personality transformed after this experience. Previously described as difficult, she became exceptionally kind and considerate until her death several years later from ongoing medical conditions.

Themes of the Unexplained

Medical professionals often encounter phenomena that defy conventional explanation. These experiences, while profound, frequently remain untold due to concerns about professional credibility. Physicians witness extraordinary moments during critical medical situations that challenge their scientific understanding.

Near-death experiences represent one significant category of these unexplained events. Patients who have been clinically dead for brief periods sometimes report detailed observations of their resuscitation procedures from an apparent out-of-body perspective. These accounts often include specific details about medical interventions that patients could not have known through conventional means.

Some patients report encounters with deceased relatives during these experiences. These spiritual visitations sometimes include messages or guidance that profoundly impact the patient's outlook upon recovery. The psychological transformations that follow such experiences can be remarkable, with formerly difficult individuals becoming noticeably more compassionate and considerate.

Medical premonitions constitute another unexplained phenomenon. Doctors occasionally experience dreams or intuitive insights about patients that later prove accurate. Despite the potential value of these experiences, most physicians hesitate to discuss them openly.

Professional concerns drive this reluctance to share unusual experiences:

Fear of ridicule from colleagues
Worry about patient perception
Concern about damaging professional reputation
Potential loss of patient base

These stories remain largely hidden within the medical community, shared only with trusted colleagues or family members. As more physicians begin documenting these experiences, it becomes clear that unexplained phenomena in medicine are far more common than previously acknowledged.

Stigma Among Healthcare Professionals

Medical practitioners often experience extraordinary events that challenge conventional medical understanding. Despite these occurrences being relatively common, doctors frequently keep such experiences private. The medical community maintains a culture of silence around unexplainable patient outcomes, premonitions, and other phenomena that don't fit neatly into scientific frameworks.

Professional Reluctance to Discuss Experiences

Many physicians hesitate to share unusual experiences with colleagues or patients. Dr. Dave Mockle, an orthopedic surgeon, exemplifies this reluctance when he insisted on privacy before relating his experience with a patient who had clinically died on the operating table. The patient later described the entire resuscitation procedure in detail despite being unconscious, including noting specific actions the surgeon took.

This type of account is not isolated. Physicians typically only share such stories with close family members or trusted colleagues. They worry these experiences might be misinterpreted or dismissed.

Common reasons for hesitation include:

Concern about scientific credibility
Fear of being labeled "strange" or "unscientific"
Uncertainty about how to categorize these experiences
Lack of conventional medical explanations

Concerns About Career Impact

The potential professional consequences weigh heavily on doctors who experience extraordinary events. Many physicians believe that sharing unusual patient stories or unexplainable medical occurrences could:

Lead to patient attrition
Result in professional ridicule
Damage their reputation among peers
Undermine their scientific credibility

This fear persists despite limited evidence that such sharing actually harms medical careers. As one physician noted, "They're afraid to tell these stories because they're so unusual that people would think they're strange and stop going to them."

The medical community's emphasis on evidence-based practices creates an environment where phenomena that cannot be easily measured or explained become professionally risky to discuss openly. This silencing effect may prevent valuable insights from being shared within the broader medical community.

Impact of Mary's Story on Dr. Kolbaba

Dr. Scott Kolbaba, an internist with a distinguished medical career, experienced a profound shift in his professional perspective following an encounter with Dr. Dave Mockle's story about their mutual patient, Mary. Before this incident, Dr. Kolbaba described himself as "relatively boring" and conventional in his medical practice. This single narrative about Mary's near-death experience during ankle surgery dramatically altered his outlook.

Mary's account was remarkable for its accuracy and detail. She described events that occurred while she was clinically dead—including Dr. Mockle pushing aside a red-haired technician to perform CPR and repeatedly looking toward the door hoping for Dr. Kolbaba's arrival. These details, which she could not have known through conventional means, deeply affected both physicians.

The transformation in Mary's personality following her experience was equally significant. Once described as somewhat of a "curmudgeon," she became extraordinarily kind and considerate in the years following her brush with death. This behavioral change, coupled with her accurate recollection of events during her cardiac arrest, challenged Dr. Kolbaba's conventional medical understanding.

This story became the catalyst for Dr. Kolbaba's collection of similar accounts from other physicians. He discovered many doctors had experienced unexplainable events but kept them private, fearing professional ridicule or patient distrust. The overwhelming response convinced him to document these narratives, eventually leading to his book featuring accounts from 26 different physicians.

The experience opened a continuous flow of similar stories from medical professionals worldwide. Dr. Kolbaba now receives regular submissions of unexplainable medical events, providing enough material for subsequent publications and suggesting these experiences are far more common in medicine than publicly acknowledged.

Ongoing Physician Contributions

Dr. Scott Kolbaba's initial collection of extraordinary medical accounts has sparked a continuous flow of new stories from healthcare professionals worldwide. After publishing his book featuring 26 physicians sharing their unexplainable experiences, physicians have continued coming forward with their own remarkable stories. These submissions arrive regularly, accumulating enough material for a potential second volume.

Many doctors previously kept these experiences private, sharing them only with immediate family members rather than colleagues or patients. The fear of professional ridicule or patient distrust prevented many medical professionals from openly discussing their unusual encounters. These concerns about potential damage to their reputations or practices created a culture of silence around such experiences.

The physicians contributing these accounts are not fringe practitioners but mainstream medical professionals—surgeons, internists, and specialists whom patients consult for routine care. Most have impressive credentials, including memberships in honor societies and recognition in professional publications. Their willingness to share these stories now represents a significant shift in medical culture toward acknowledging experiences that fall outside conventional medical understanding.

The Potential for Future Volumes

The collection of extraordinary medical experiences documented in "Physicians Untold Stories" represents just the beginning of a much larger narrative. Since the publication of the first volume featuring 26 physicians, numerous additional medical professionals have begun sharing their own remarkable accounts.

New stories continue to arrive regularly from doctors around the country. These submissions have grown so numerous that plans for a second volume are now underway. This ongoing collection process suggests that the phenomenon of unusual medical experiences is far more widespread than initially thought.

The medical community's initial hesitation to share these experiences appears to be diminishing. Many physicians who previously kept their stories private due to concerns about professional reputation are now finding the courage to come forward. This growing openness may lead to multiple future volumes.

What makes these accounts particularly valuable is their source—credentialed medical professionals with scientific training who have witnessed events they cannot explain through conventional medical understanding. These are not accounts from individuals seeking attention, but rather from respected doctors who initially shared their experiences only with close colleagues or family members.

The potential scope for future volumes seems virtually limitless if one considers the global medical community. With millions of physicians practicing worldwide, each with decades of patient interactions, the pool of potential stories represents an untapped reservoir of extraordinary medical experiences waiting to be documented.

Healthcare professionals interested in contributing their experiences for consideration in future volumes can now submit their accounts. This ongoing collection process ensures that these valuable perspectives will not be lost to history.

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Unexplained Medical Phenomena: Doctors Share Their Most Miraculous Patient Experiences