<p>Just checking to see what books people recommend for someone considering becoming a doctor. I just finished reading Dr. Tony Youn's In Stitches, which is a hilarious look at becoming a doctor. I highly recommend it. Dr</a>. Youn In Stitches Book Any other books people recommend? I also liked House of God, but it was pretty dark!</p>
<p>I personally loved Atul Gawande’s books–Complications, Better, and Checklist Manifesto–and highly recommend them to anyone who will listen. They’re basically essays written by this brilliant Harvard doc about his professional life. (That sentence really isn’t doing justice to them, so just check them out and see for yourself 
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<p>Thanks Kristin…</p>
<p>I just went to Amazon and ordered each one of his books…I think there were five.</p>
<p>Also just finished Ben Carson’s autobiogrphay, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. I hear it’s also a movie now. The guy has an incredible story. The beginning’s a little slow (but nonetheless, important to the book) and by the end you can tell that he’s a gifted storyteller and an extremely talented physician. I also appreciated that he unashamedly wove his faith throughout the story, and was not expecting it to have such religious undertones. While Gawande seems to focus on the larger context of medicine, Carson’s focus is clearly on the individual physician. Another one I’d highly recommend–and it’s a quick read (finished it in probably…5-6h)</p>
<p>+1 for Atul Gawande’s books. Also, check out Sandeep Jauhar’s ‘Intern’; there he talks about his transition from a PhD student in Physics to being an MD.</p>
<p>And Michael Collins’s books too–‘Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs’ and ‘Hot Lights, Cold Steel’. His journey from construction worker to orthopedic surgeon (and father of 8 or 12, IIRC) is inspiring.</p>
<p>Omg yes +1 to Sandeep jahaur’s intern. I loved it.</p>
<p>Great thread! Both D1 and D2 will be taking long plane trips soon. (D1 and BF are doing 3 weeks in eastern Europe; D2 is going to Kenya.) I’ve ordered some of the recommended books so they have reading material for their travels!</p>
<p>The Jauhar book seems esp apropos for D1 since she is going from physics to med school.</p>
<p>A Piece of My Mind is a collection of essays published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Very well-written personal reflections from (mostly) doctors about a range of topics they encounter. Not sure if it’s still in print but should be findable online.</p>
<p>Nonfiction by Perri Klass. Skip her fiction, but Baby Doctor and A Not Entirely Benign Procedure about her med school and residency training are compelling.</p>
<p>Not a book about being a Doctor but…good travel read for anyone interested in medicine…</p>
<p>Home Before Morning </p>
<p>Linda Van Devanter was one of the first female nurses to serve front line in the Vietnam war, this is her autobiography and chronicles her year in Vietnam. First published in 1983 it was the first Viet Nam narrative written by a female and is a dramatic and chilling first hand account of that war, from a very different perspective. It also gives a detailed and honest account of her attempt to deal with PTSD afterward, without support systems.</p>
<p>It profoundly impacted me when I first read it in 1983…just gave it to my son who is currently doing his trauma surgery rotation…not sure when he’ll find the time to read it though. ;)</p>
<p>* CAUTION: Given the topic and era, the book also does detail both her drug use and casual sexual encounters so if that’s going to be offensive, you were warned.*</p>