Best Books for Future Surgeons
Here are a set of books which will help you communicate better with the senior doctors (especially Surgeons) by having something in common with them. These books have been read by most residents and consultants in the hospital and helps in getting into the mind of some of them. It is in no particular order.
Enjoy!
The House of God by Samuel Shem
This book is THE CLASSIC intern novel. It may have been written a long time ago, but most of the information is still relevant today. The novel follows the life of a first year intern (Dr Roy Basch) and all the people he encounters and befriends, from disgruntled patients to sexy romps with nurses. This novel is really for anyone who ever worked in a hospital from medical students, nurses, physiotherapists to doctors and hospital administraters. Any of the doctors who teach you have read this before (I promise) and quote it repeatedly. It is however a tad sexist (it was written in the 70s), but if you can get beyond that it is a pleasure to read.
Complications: A Surgeons Notes on an Imperfect Science by Dr. Atul Gawande
This book is definitely one of my favourite surgery based non-fiction books (what a mouthful). Dr Gawande discusses various topics from learning through mistakes, doctor burnout, dealing with his child’s illness as well as the overall expectations for becoming a surgeon. This book is essentially a collection of essays he has written whilst working for The New Yorker and Slate. As such, the quality of writing is superb and easy to follow which makes for easy reading, even though the subject matter is not always light. If you have to buy one book specifically about surgery, this would be it.
Better: A Surgeons Notes on Performance by Dr Atul Gawande
Yes, yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking, “How can he have the same guy twice on the list?” A) He really is that good B) He makes reading about serious issues seem like walking on the beach. This time around he delves into the murky waters of medical and ethical dilemmas (essentially a collection of 12 essays) which were previously published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the New Yorker. The great thing about Dr Gawande is his ability to made “big” issue topics enjoyable to read while still getting the message across. Do yourself a favour and buy both his books.
How Doctors Think by Dr. Jerome Groopman
The book’s title says it all, “How Doctors Think.” Dr Groopman, explains how diagnoses are affected by emotions and how great doctors make great decisions as well as poor ones. He interviews a group of specialists and tries to determine, among other things, why one doctor will miss a disease and another will pick it up. This work covers numerous factors and aspects of medicine that lead to successful outcomes of patients as well as adverse ones; an example given is of a 82 pound woman who, for 15 years, had suffered from chronic diarrhoea, vomiting and weight loss, only to be correctly diagnosed with Coeliac Disease! Great read to understand how your colleagues may be analysing cases.
Final Exam: A Surgeons Reflections on Mortality by Dr. Pauline Chen
Dr. Pauline Chen is a transplant surgeon who shares her life experiences as well as some of the philosophies that have shaped her life to date. The Final Exam primarily deals with end of death care in the Emergency and Operating Rooms where she has spent most of her medical years. The tale is rather touching and she does discuss an important area of the medical field – detachment. Dr. Chen is not a fan of the casual, tried and tested method of ignoring our [doctors] emotions and moving on from case to case as if death can be dealt with so cavalierly. This book should be on your shelve.
Essentially, this should be called the Memoirs of an Orthopaedic Resident because that’s what this book is. Dr. Collins is able to accurately describe the life of a surgical resident by writing about what he experienced – from deciding whether or not to amputate a boys leg to covering for a resident on his first day. The prose is made even more appealing by Dr. Collins use of humour to pass his lessons to the next generation of doctors. Anyone who wants to know what a surgical residency is really like should get this book…so you know what the hell you are getting into.
Intern: A Doctors Initiation by Dr. Sandeep Jauhar
A doctor talking so honestly about his residency is rare, let alone someone who writes a whole novel about it. Dr Jauhar is a cardiologist who reminiscences about his intern year and all the overwhelming pressure and distress he experienced (he actually had a serious episode of depression). You could look at it as an updated version of “The House of God” with some of the same issues dissected again, but this time with more feeling and realism than the former book. Don’t get it because you want to be a cardiologist, get it because you want to know about life.
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September 7th, 2009 at 7:24 am
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