Welcome

Welcome to my website and thanks for visiting. My name is Mike Collins. In order of importance, I am a husband, a father, an orthopedic surgeon and a writer. Most of you who visit this site have no interest in my role as husband, father and orthopod, so let me tell you about my writing. I have written six books: three fiction and three nonfiction. Although seemingly disparate and unrelated, they all carry an underlying theme that reflects my belief that the world is a good place, that people are good, and that virtue is worth pursuing.

My first book, Hot Lights, Cold Steel (2005), describes my years as resident and moonlighter at the Mayo Clinic. Book number two, Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs (2010), recounts my days as a construction laborer trying to get into medical school. All Bleeding Stops (2021) tells the story of Matthew Barrett, combat surgeon in the Vietnam War whose compassion and concern eventually overwhelm him. The Shieling (2024) features David Carroll, Chicago surgeon, wrongly accused of murder, who seeks shelter in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.

It’s not often that an author publishes two books at the same time—especially two books so different from each other—but that’s exactly what I did in the latter half of 2026. To be honest, this happened more by accident than by design. The Least of Men is a sequel to my fourth book, The Shieling. I had never considered the possibility of a sequel until numerous readers suggested it. Alternating between San Francisco, the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, and the Island of Guernsey, The Least of Men carries the same themes of love, fidelity, honor, and integrity that were so much a part of The Shieling. For reasons that will become obvious after you read the book, it is dedicated to my seven brothers.

The second 2026 book, Retired Ground, A Climber’s Odyssey, is the most personal and most heartfelt of all my books. Based on a travel journal I kept for over fifty years, it explores the powerful and transformative influence mountains and the wilderness exerted on me.

As always, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy both The Least of Men and Retired Ground. I look forward to hearing your comments. Feel free to contact me anytime at Mike@michaeljcollinsmd.com.