Robert Jeremy Cole the legendary doctor & hero of THE PHYSICIAN left an enduring legacy From the eleventh century on the eldest son in each generation of the Cole family has borne the same first name & middle initial & many of these men have followed the medical profession A few have been blessed with their ancestor's diagnostic skill & the 'sixth sense' they call The Gift the ability to know instinctively when death is impending The tragedy of Rob J's life is the deafness of his son Robert Jefferson Cole who is called Shaman by everyone who knows him Shaman's life is difficult First he must learn to speak so that he can take his place in the hearing world & then he must fight against the prejudices of a society where physical differences matter As Shaman struggles to achieve his identity the Coles along with the rest of America are drawn into the conflict between the North & the South