All-Star MD is a hard-hitting sports medicine non-fiction drama that gives an unprecedented, total access view into the life of world-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Arthur Ting and his superstar patients like Yao Ming, Barry Bonds, LeBron James, Eric Wright, Terrell Owens and James “Bubba” Stewart.
Professional sports is a world of big money and big pressure. Team owners and coaches can’t afford to have their star out of the line-up. Recoveries have to be quick. Every medical decision must weigh the best interest of the athlete’s body against the cost of appearing injured to scouts, of missing too many games, of losing ground in a championship points race, of losing their edge while they sit on the sidelines. For the players, it’s all on the line: their health, their livelihoods, even their identity.
These athletes need more than a doctor. They need an advocate who understands the business of sports as well as the mechanics of the body. Which is why top athletes from all over the world check themselves into the Surgery Center in Fremont, California. Dr. Ting is their “go-to” guy.
The Dynamic Duo
Dr. Arthur Ting is a confident, no-nonsense, incredibly skilled surgeon who is the doctor of choice for million-dollar athletes and sports franchises like the San Francisco 49ers, the Oakland Raiders, the San Jose Sharks and even national sporting bodies like the Chinese Olympic Team. He is also the Chief Medical Officer for high-profile sporting events like the MotoGP Motorcycle U.S. Grand Prix and the East-West Shrine Game.
His memorabilia-filled office has become a crossroads for every sport and a comfortable refuge for athletes at their most vulnerable. Somehow, he still finds the time to donate his expertise to help youth, high-school and college athletes compete so they can realize their own dreams.
Tuan Nguyen (twan new-win) is the chief trainer who oversees the day-to-day operations of Dr. Ting’s practice. Tuan is on-call around the clock, ready to counsel athletes in distress and coordinate their transportation and treatment. His ringing cell phone often sets our dramas into motion.
Tuan’s own personal journey is epic, taking him from a pirated Vietnamese refugee boat to growing up in America’s Heartland to saving the multi-million dollar careers of world-famous athletes. His immigrant story and love for this country will inspire all Americans. Having surmounted unbelievable odds, Tuan is able to draw upon his own strength and determination to bring out the best effort from his patients – even ones who are notorious for their “bad behavior.”
Together, they are known as “Ting and Tuan,” two very different men who complement each other perfectly. They are fiercely dedicated to helping others while being the very best in their field.
The Show
All-Star MD ushers you into the athlete’s most personal realm, deep into territory that encompasses fear, anger and humility as well as strength and joy. You’ll see patients at their worst and their best. The injuries are very real, as are the risks. The courage and dedication it takes to overcome them is as dramatic, if not more, than sport as covered by the mainstream media.
You are first to hear Dr. Ting’s diagnosis and surgical plan. With the help of high-tech graphics, he explains procedures to you, many that he has perfected, some that he has invented.
One wrong cut and an athlete’s career is over. Granted total access, you are in the operating room and witness the artistry (not for the faint-hearted) of Dr. Ting.
Then you are with the athletes and Tuan as they rehab through the pain and doubt to recapture athletic excellence and save their careers. Or, in the case of college athletes, rehab to save their scholarships and education.
The patients run the gamut, from kids to big game veterans; across football, basketball, hockey, golf, gymnastics, motor sports, Olympic Games, X Games, you name it. If you can get injured doing it, Dr. Ting and Tuan can get you back in the game.
During the series, you get to know Ting and Tuan as well as their families. Dr. Ting’s three sons are as interesting as he is. One is attempting to become a matinee idol in Asia. The two twins played college football at USC during their championship season and are now attempting to follow in their father’s footsteps by attending medical school.
Dr. Ting and Tuan are also working pro bono in Tuan’s native Vietnam to develop a modern orthopedic hospital, the first in all of Southeast Asia – yet another fascinating story that reveals the passions that have driven these two larger-than-life personalities to the top of their field and halfway around the globe.
Yet, for all that Ting and Tuan give their patients, their patients give them the most important thing of all: their trust.
When dreams can be taken away with a single, devastating injury, sports drama becomes gripping human drama.