Story perspectives

Dr. Anthony Rizzo Releases “Cheeseburger Pneumonia” Surgery Memoir

5/8/2026

Summary

Story summary

Dr. Anthony Rizzo, retired Air Force colonel and Polk State College professor, released *Cheeseburger Pneumonia… and Other Surgery Stories*.
The book mixes operating-room stories with lessons from his nearly 40-year Air Force medical career and is divided into chapters such as Medical School and Active Duty.
Polk State College hired him to train faculty for expanding health-science enrollment, while his “Wall of Fame” honors former students who became doctors.

History

Historical Context

The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which infected roughly 20 million Americans and killed about 500,000, overwhelmed U.S. Army field hospitals and forced rapid advances in military medicine. Those wartime lessons shaped the Air Force’s medical curriculum, a legacy Dr. Anthony Rizzo reflects on in his new memoir about four decades of service and his work at Polk State College.

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Story summary

Dr. Anthony Rizzo, retired Air Force colonel and Polk State College professor, released *Cheeseburger Pneumonia… and Other Surgery Stories*.
The book mixes operating-room stories with lessons from his nearly 40-year Air Force medical career and is divided into chapters such as Medical School and Active Duty.
Polk State College hired him to train faculty for expanding health-science enrollment, while his “Wall of Fame” honors former students who became doctors.

1 / 2