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Melissa Red Hoffman

MD, ND, FACS

Dr. Melissa Red Hoffman, better known as Dr. Red, is a trauma surgeon and a hospice doctor who utilizes her unique background to promote the integration of palliative medicine into the care of all surgical patients through her writing, speaking and podcasting.

Surgeon

Initially trained as a naturopath and a yoga teacher, Dr. Red now practices a unique blend of trauma surgery and palliative medicine.

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Writer

A prolific writer, Dr. Red has been featured in KevinMD, General Surgery News and JAMA’s "A Piece of My Mind."

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Speaker

Dr. Red speaks locally, nationally, and internationally about surgery and palliative care, grief, and surviving violent loss. She was one of nine speakers at TEDx Asheville 2024.

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Making Meaning After Violent Death

In this deeply personal talk, Dr. Red shares her experience of being a survivor of multiple violent deaths, describes how the grief following a violent death is remarkably different than the grief following the more common natural death, and empowers the community to better support survivors as they work to make meaning out of the worst day of their lives.

The Surgical Soul with Red MD

The surgical soul is an area deep in the abdomen, about the size of a silver dollar, centered on the head of the pancreas and surrounded by multiple structures and several large blood vessels.  Dr. Ken Mattox, an international leader in the field of Trauma Surgery, defines injuries to this area as "soul wounds" as they are often deadly to the patient and are very challenging for the surgeon to access and to manage.

Inspired by its namesake, The Surgical Soul with Red MD dives deeply into the lives of surgeons, exploring their accomplishments and joy, as well as their struggles and pain.

If you've ever been curious about the secret lives of surgeons, this podcast is for you.