Paul Becoming a Doctor
Paul tells the reader how he disliked the medical profession. This was because his father was a doctor and he was mostly absent from home because of his huge workload. It is therefore ironical that Paul gets into the medical profession as well and chooses one of the most demanding paths, neurosurgery.
Paul's Work as a Chef
It is a situational irony that Paul chose to work as a chef in a summer camp. This is because he was a student of Biology, Literature and Neuroscience. The reader expects him to choose a medical internship for his summer rather than a culinary one.
Parents who abandoned their children
Paul and his classmates once visited a brain surgery centre. It is ironical that the parents of the children in the center gradually reduced their visits until they stopped visiting completely. The readers' expectation is that parents should always be concerned with the welfare of their kids.
Mrs. Harvey's Death
It is a situational irony that Mrs. Harvey who came to the hospital to be treated for a mild abdominal discomfort died whereas Mathew who was in a very critical condition that required brain surgery survived. This is the irony of medical miracles where critical illnesses are healed whereas very mild cases end up in death of patients.
The Surgeon who could not admit to his mistakes
It is a situational irony that a very talented surgeon would not admit to any mistakes that he made in surgery. The surgeon would blame them on the nurses that assisted him in the surgery. This is ironical because it is expected that every surgeon take ownership of their mistakes.
