Bob Birks’s Family Memoir: A Poor Boy’s History and Experiences

By Robert Cremo Birks MD. FACS

What makes a person successful? Robert C. Birks tells the story of two boys who were high achievers. What made them this way? Did it matter that their father had a 4th grade education and their mother had a 10th grade education? These parents gave their sons a better life teaching them how to save money, spend it and be a friend. Every part of Carl and Robert’s lives—grooming, dressing, or performing in school--was accompanied by their parents’ support.

Carl and Robert were committed to success. Robert recalls adventures on a family friend’s farm, working for the Detroit Free Press competing to sell the most subscriptions, and resourcefully getting through a tricky lab at Meharry. He talks of cutting back on food to save enough to pay a bill. There would be setbacks and obstacles, but they were steadfast in their commitment to succeed.

Robert remembers incidents that tried his commitment. Medical schools did not accept Black students. Resisting anger, he opted for showing his ability to learn medicine, treat patients, perform surgery, teach interns, and manage a busy city ER. He did these while joining the army, getting married, and having three children.

Success cannot happen without integrity. Success is not about cheating or taking shortcuts. Memories of Robert’s feelings for his dogs, students, coworkers, parents, aunts and uncles, “big” brother, friends, and wife build a legacy based on integrity and grit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664257061

Robert Cremo Birks MD. FACS

Robert Cremo Birks, MD. FACS Robert Cremo Birks attended Meharry Medical School, from which he received a medical degree. He did his medical training at Detroit Receiving Hospital and his surgical residency at Wayne State University Department of Surgery. He was a founding member of the Trauma Surgical Society. Later Birks became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He practiced and retired in Detroit.

Book preview

���pbbook_preview_excerpt.html�Y�r�6����ە�tS�g�l�����{�7ז�C{���+������f���5�Qt�D]}VG'G����o�g��z��s��hĬp ^����'G�WG�G㚦�} �Yn�[�5���W�oM�v�f�tYr�ϫڶw�9�3�ě̛%���&àH��9 ��z&*��"�o`��������5� �6�?��v`W�-̢j �����͢΁ͻ��#J'O��siCQk�ql�`vnk��
���l� c2�J�!q�A�
2�
� ���e�L�:W|䔍+��d��˾���4dn�6�q4��u���W��wN��[�^m�����������m %.A�+8Bh��~2���.��;��e�)y�ۗ�؝]]�>UoN��L_�>:���O��^(^�<5���@�q2�k/Dp��%������A��J
y������I ���RGs���^���#CC�۳���Y�.q>��j�
va&��ʵ�F ?�M�I핀إ|�%N�RT�F� q/��M=��\���O�H?�� �q����Q�8>ܤM/���@�j�R�푈M37�SC�?�����:G����
m'cv+�I-��0qĔ`�!�`�N���LaQK"��n�텫k��)�?�_�H 5����5�D�h��潷��f� y;��ŝ'\Ժ/
U#FZ4��RX�����5�p�[Ӝ5�����]�fb� P�eov�?_T��՗����"��ou㖆%�%��޼�����9:z��7kw��{��iEH\���7-��������gW����[�Js� ������ss?�y��4+ӈ8�X~���$���Kq�l��j ���#z<��Vؙ�E�p���[sm��ʄ���2ToR |�Y��g�q��T��H4n�AG�蚯PP6��I��w��-sI ��x�2@��T�@��v�S܈Yr�=�%K�9yn�ϖI'R���c\� ��u���5����D�%Tj���qx�x�`͉����E��jDx��&��CQ9W�ԗZN���Z�D)-5 JQ/t����J�:�MH������U kt����fZ:W���X(Q�m�r���%+BBz�{������M���sM�=��r^ m�k5+j5���>�O�_W.M�tT8������OP}f�SV��^�~�v ˧��@�H"Fꃇ���"� ��)��Uc�mCd��@S�V�@����u�p1ח���i�i<�� ١�gq���|�n�3߹Y�V|��Xʡ�U�o~u.կ�AؕIMD�+�dx�bc�,��X߀�����0<(���"�Տ�a�\�AH1��P��a&�Qѳ�I�Rce0H��*]�5)���A�ZIі�8X��Gۤ�y|N��8��Q�����H�l�(9f�G�b��1u�7IǞp���X؀#hx�rWk�+���_�����笇[�x���Y��'�M�[~�mf���\��4�|?x
E����l7 ������z�m���� �ui@�5���I�d��o�b�^L�h���0h�W���j#�u�����^�ۀ��� ��ҍ��kv��F�R�3h��7�(/�i �x���`���P'�yZ������?*�D5�
�m>h��HИ�ۢ����� 2"� �71S�9
�S`�(�P>��p��D���.Oo�HjeV':5�'�jҘ���W)e0ضa�N�@����5|ڌ����n "���It>�¶��*�=G�,��pk�SK3&7�����v-
�h؂�E#FrCʘ��J��w��8]Lcu@��A�h�ذ k��ʒ7)�����8W�.?��fn}��Q���]�h���� �Ʌ�P�?�1 �*Ρ�_r�-��_r���N n)F�ԥ��R%���4n!� :�b�.K�WD3��jY
�.j��%�I~Զ��LK��͡\��Z�R�
V��t���˭I����L�U:�0��1c6�Z�2�c��:erN�4����r�F��薽p2�6A�v�w3u�P%��?߭lZ�;(:Ҵ���4[�Q�"))]D�4Z��J�J C�K�����e����, �b��m*]�&d*��� e�֮��� �����2U�D������;��x���|��(���Q$uR�����Ђ�`��<�7�\��[:���$^H�%�ɦ����H��ϰ����M���Pw�V�>�(�%�:^����0x�� �oQ3�O��‚%t�(�d�� �p�,k��Ac����ـ��a����aPi�4�$4� �2��$WC���C�Ϸׄd���GyY������D��c���J�����ygr�MB40+�H�E�v!�{ La/M��&��:)���4n+۩D���f��P��V�ּ3�B�j�X=`��C:�&#k1D7uy"V�d06�%3ŢG�1���],��)�B.�ח�g@?�z갶M#�2�Z��ِX���;S���7���̙�p.�5Q��+�gQ"(0�%�NU�/ ��}� \k֨6]. ,�1_ l�!W"I�5� O *�6�m�3oߡ�4� �+��s���"�5�쓤��[�A�����.��J���҉��X�R���h�����˼`�Mv���bD�^��������N�=�V���ѤЉ�Q 4����PIXA� "�J��ic��|H���M�3�)���nA$O� �,���.]�$��2j�+��-�P4�J)iym3��sP��?cjfq̏Dam��;~�r� r ��vqi��4ElH���3Wܙ(�w�t��4o��l�0 �B؃�o��Kӂ�FݷE�����wH�4c���A�~#v�n�XK��|���M��߇T��FR}��o�(�F .=۟[3�İ��d�/Ӣ����������+I,��{i)�*�ft�W��>qP�.eaذ�a��/oг$����9x��@ʛ*����޺9��j��m��T��?�ah�[�-&����~�&���Ѕ �VF�nl�)�p͔+�ZC��(��@W,Sh咘�Ӈ�Th�-Z�zH瑖9H�P0�S�1w\ԕe�[�Ĭ�*��$�^���#Z �$���"�t��� ��, �Ι6���.]ȗi�Ǝ�I<�'��0_����e_ǭŷ9�$4�&U�G&�Q��4"��?͸�@^