Suggested Reading

This is a list of books related to medicine, medical education, or general science that I enjoyed. I encourage you to check them out.

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1. The House of God by Samuel Shem - This book was recommended to me by one of my psychology professors, with the addendum that it steered her away from medicine. It is my #1 favorite book. Very funny, very raunchy, and somewhat shocking, it describes the experiences of Dr. Roy Basch during his internship year. Though hospital conditions have changed drastically since the 70s (when the events in the book take place), it is incredibly popular, with over 2 million copies sold. It is the source of terms like "gomer" and "zebra", and it pioneered the genre of personal experience books by physicians and other healthcare professionals. I highly suggest you give it a read. If you are easily offended by explicit sexuality and crass language, this may not be the book for you (although I'd encourage you to read it anyways, it's that good).

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2. Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance by Atul Gawande - Along with his first book, Complications, Atul Gawande is a gifted writer with a keen mind. Complications focuses more on his experiences as a surgeon, both in training and in practice. Better stresses the importance of consistently working to improve performance and advance knowledge. Both books are excellent reads for the aspiring doctor and layperson alike. Of the two, I prefer Better. Dr Gawande's uses concrete examples of individuals striving to make medicine safer or pushing for the very highest care for their patients. He ends with a simple suggestion: we should aspire to constantly improve our abilities, and by doing so, we can make a small, but appreciable difference in the world.


More to follow!