Behind Closed Doors: Physician Stories From Progress, Amman

Dr. Raymond Moody's 1975 book Life After Life introduced the concept of the near-death experience to the general public and identified the common elements that would become the standard description of the NDE: the out-of-body experience, the tunnel, the light, the encounter with deceased relatives, the life review, and the decision or command to return. Half a century of subsequent research has confirmed and refined Moody's initial observations, and the near-death experience has become one of the most intensively studied phenomena in consciousness research. Physicians' Untold Stories by Dr. Scott Kolbaba adds a new dimension to this research by presenting NDEs through the eyes of the physicians who witnessed them — the doctors in Progress, Amman and across the country who resuscitated these patients and then listened, astonished, as they described what happened while they were clinically dead.

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Medical Fact

Research suggests that NDE-like experiences can occur during deep meditation, extreme physical stress, and certain types of syncope.

Physician Burnout & Wellness Near Progress, Amman

The medical community in Progress, Amman includes physicians across every stage of their careers — residents navigating the exhaustion of training, mid-career practitioners balancing clinical demands with family life, and veteran physicians carrying decades of experiences that challenge the boundaries of conventional medicine. Burnout touches all of them differently, but a common thread runs through: the desire to remember why they chose medicine in the first place, and the rare but profound moments that remind them.

Progress, Amman's healthcare landscape reflects broader patterns in Amman's medical system — the pressures of modern practice, the isolation that comes from witnessing extraordinary events without a framework to discuss them, and the gradual erosion of meaning that drives so many physicians toward burnout. Yet it is precisely in communities like Progress, Amman that the unexplained tends to surface most vividly, in moments that practicing physicians remember for the rest of their careers.

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Medical Fact

Dr. Michael Sabom documented a case where an NDE patient accurately described surgical instruments used during her operation that she could not have seen.

Ghost Stories and the Supernatural Near Progress, Amman, Amman

Lake Michigan's undertow has claimed swimmers near Progress, Amman, Amman every summer for as long as anyone can remember. The ghosts of these drowning victims—many of them children—have been reported in lakeside hospitals with a seasonal regularity that matches the drowning statistics. They appear in June, peak in July, and fade by September, following the lake's lethal calendar.

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia—technically Appalachian, but deeply influential across the Midwest—established a template for asylum hauntings that echoes in psychiatric facilities near Progress, Amman, Amman. The pattern is consistent: footsteps in sealed wings, screams from rooms that no longer exist, and the persistent sense that the building's suffering exceeds its current census by thousands.

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Medical Fact

Studies show that NDE experiencers are not more prone to fantasy, dissociation, or mental illness than the general population.

Near-Death Experiences Reported by Physicians Near Progress, Amman

The Midwest's public radio stations near Progress, Amman, Amman have produced some of the most thoughtful NDE journalism in the country—long-form interviews with researchers, experiencers, and skeptics that treat the subject with the same seriousness applied to agricultural policy or education reform. This media coverage has normalized NDE discussion in a region where public radio is as influential as the local newspaper.

The Midwest's German and Scandinavian immigrant communities near Progress, Amman, Amman brought a cultural pragmatism toward death that intersects productively with NDE research. In these communities, death is discussed openly, funeral planning is practical rather than morbid, and extraordinary experiences during illness are shared without embarrassment. This cultural openness provides researchers with more candid NDE accounts than they typically obtain from more death-averse populations.

Near-Death Experience Features

Percentage reporting each feature (van Lommel et al., 2001)

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Did You Know?

Many of the physicians in Dr. Kolbaba's book initially refused to share their stories, fearing damage to their professional reputations.

Physician Wellness, Grief & Finding Meaning Near Progress, Amman

Midwest medical marriages near Progress, Amman, Amman—the partnerships between physicians and their spouses who answer phones, manage offices, and raise families in communities where the doctor is always on call—are a form of healing infrastructure that deserves recognition. The physician's spouse who brings dinner to the office at 9 PM, who fields emergency calls at 3 AM, who keeps the household functional during flu season, is a healthcare worker without a credential or a salary.

Midwest nursing culture near Progress, Amman, Amman carries a no-nonsense competence that patients find deeply reassuring. The Midwest nurse doesn't coddle; she educates. She doesn't sympathize; she empowers. And when the situation is dire, she doesn't flinch. This temperament—warm but unshakeable—is a form of healing that operates through the patient's trust that the person caring for them is absolutely, unflappably capable.

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Did You Know?

Dr. Kolbaba once grew a 1,000-pound pumpkin and won the Sycamore, Illinois pumpkin-growing contest two years running.

Dr. Scott Kolbaba

About Dr. Scott Kolbaba

Internist at Northwestern Medicine. Mayo Clinic trained. Interviewed 200+ physicians for this Amazon bestseller.

"What an inspirational time… I was gratified by the unusually good turn-out and the comments received afterwards." — D.H., Presbyterian Minister

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Did You Know?

Medieval monks were often the primary providers of medical care in Europe, blending prayer with herbal remedies.

Watch the Stories

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About the Book

The book addresses the professional stigma that prevents physicians from discussing spiritual experiences in the workplace.

Amman: Where History, Medicine, and the Supernatural Converge

Jordanian supernatural beliefs center on djinn, which are deeply rooted in both pre-Islamic Arabian tradition and Quranic teaching. The Citadel hill in Amman, continuously inhabited for over 7,000 years, is considered a particularly active site for djinn activity, with residents of surrounding neighborhoods reporting strange lights and sounds emanating from the ruins at night. Petra, Jordan's famous ancient city carved into rose-red cliffs, is widely believed to be guarded by djinn, and local Bedouin guides share stories of travelers who disappeared after disrespecting the spirits. In Amman, the tradition of reading coffee grounds ('tasseography') is widely practiced to divine the future, and many Jordanians visit 'sheikhs' who perform Quranic healing for spiritual afflictions. The Dead Sea, bordering Jordan, carries its own supernatural associations, with biblical traditions linking it to divine destruction and ancient curses.

Amman has emerged as a major medical tourism hub in the Middle East, with Jordan ranking among the top medical tourism destinations globally. The city's modern healthcare system contrasts with its ancient medical heritage—the nearby Roman city of Jerash featured advanced public health infrastructure including aqueducts, baths, and sanitation systems. Jordan University Hospital and King Hussein Medical Center attract patients from across the Arab world for specialized surgeries and cancer treatment. Jordan has also played a critical humanitarian medical role, with Amman's hospitals treating wounded from conflicts in neighboring Iraq and Syria. The city hosts regional offices for the WHO and multiple international medical NGOs, making it a healthcare coordination hub for one of the world's most conflict-affected regions.

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About the Book

The book has been translated into multiple languages to meet international demand from readers.

Notable Locations in Amman

Citadel (Jabal al-Qal'a): This ancient hilltop complex, inhabited since the Bronze Age, is believed by locals to be populated by djinn dwelling among the Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad ruins.

Iraq al-Amir (Qasr al-Abd): This mysterious Hellenistic palace west of Amman, built by the Tobiad dynasty around 200 BC, is associated with legends of guardian spirits protecting its carved lion fountains.

Roman Theater of Amman: The 6,000-seat Roman amphitheater from the 2nd century AD is rumored among Ammani residents to echo with ghostly voices and Roman-era music on certain nights.

King Hussein Medical Center: Jordan's premier military hospital and one of the most advanced medical facilities in the Middle East, established in 1973 and serving as a referral center for the entire region.

Jordan University Hospital: The principal teaching hospital of the University of Jordan, established in 1971, playing a central role in training physicians and providing specialized care in the kingdom.

Reader Ratings Distribution

Based on 1,018 Goodreads ratings

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Research Finding

Pets in hospitals have been shown to reduce anxiety scores by 37% and reduce pain perception in pediatric patients.

How This Book Can Help You

The Midwest's tradition of practical wisdom near Progress, Amman, Amman shapes how readers receive this book. They don't approach it as philosophy or theology; they approach it as useful information. If physicians are reporting these experiences consistently, what does that mean for how I should prepare for my own death, or my spouse's, or my parents'? The Midwest reads for application, and this book delivers.

Physicians' Untold Stories book cover — by Dr. Scott J. Kolbaba, MD
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Research Finding

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is as effective as medication for mild to moderate depression, with longer-lasting effects.

Physicians' Untold Stories book cover

Read the Stories That Changed Everything

Over 200 physicians interviewed. 26 stories that will challenge what you believe about life, death, and everything in between.

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Physicians' Untold Stories by Dr. Scott Kolbaba

Amazon Bestseller

The Stories Medicine Never Told You

Over 200 physicians interviewed. 26 true stories of ghost encounters, near-death experiences, and miraculous recoveries that will change the way you think about life, death, and what lies beyond.

By Dr. Scott J. Kolbaba, MD — 4.5★ from 1,018 ratings on Goodreads