Books for aspiring medics

[AlexaShutUp]

DD (currently year 11) has set her heart on becoming a doctor. I want to get her some books that she can read to give her a bit more of an insight into the profession, but having been an artsy-humanities type myself, I don't really know where to start. Does anyone have any suggestions of good books that would be accessible to a bright and motivated 15yo? I'm looking for books that aren't textbook-like but will hopefully enable to deepen her current understanding of what medicine involves. (She is looking to do work experience next year and knows that this is important.)

I think she would be interested in any generic books about the medical profession and/or science books with a medical slant. She is especially interested in going into pediatrics, but has also wondered about psychiatry, geriatrics and oncology. She definitely doesn't want to be a surgeon or a GP at this stage, though of course, any of that may change! She is also really interested in medical ethics (stem cell research etc) and in the history of medicine.

Any recommendations from all you knowledgeable people? TIA

*consultation skills

As a midwife, not Adam Kay.

Anything by Atul Gawande is brilliant. Maybe start with The Checklist Manifesto.
Things about communication are so important, in Shock by Dr Rana Awdish is great. And one thing sorely lacking in medicine is an understanding of breastfeeding. It isn't just for maternity, doctors come across breastfeeding women all the time and have no idea what to do and usually tell them to stop feeding. A Guide for Supporting Breastfeeding for the Medical Profession by Amy Brown and Wendy Jones is fantastic.

Oh and from a feminist perspective, For Her Own Good.

Mine watched Greys Anatomy. Not sure this is helpful but she's now a 3rd year. Yet to snog any surgeons in the supply cupboard as far as I know.

DD is a Year 12 planning for a med school application next year. She is reading lots at the moment. She found Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepherd (a pathologist) really interesting. I haven't read it myself but it prompted her to ask me questions about the cases he worked on like Princess Diana, the Marchioness and the Hungerford massacre.

TV wise, as a former Night Sister and Sister in an A&E department, I would probably recommend Cardiac Arrest, rather than Greys Anatomy, if it's still on anywhere. More recently, The Resident isn't bad (for ethical issues), one of the other US series truly awful (possibly has Chicago in the title?)and House just plain batty - let's order loads and loads of invasive tests for all the things this is least likely to be, ignoring the blindingly obvious while the patient lurches from one easily preventable crisis to another before our eyes...

(Possibly quite useful, though, as a guide to how no sane person would practice medicine?).

Told by consultant must read House of God by S Shem

Wow, loads of ideas here! Thank you so much!

DD is the type who will spot any misogyny from a mile off, so if I go with the Adam Kay books, they might have to be accompanied by a health warning, but I'll do a bit more research first. Someone said that they are a bit bleak - it would be good to know a bit more about that! I want her to have a realistic insight into the reality of the job, but I don't want to totally scare her off!

War Doctor is excellent. David Nott is an amazing human. Would thoroughly recommend- it's a brilliant and insightful book about the role of medics in war and disaster zones.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/books/2019/oct/05/adam-kay-interview-this-is-going-to-hurt-twas-the-nighshift-before-christmas

War Doctor is excellent. David Nott is an amazing human. Would thoroughly recommend- it's a brilliant and insightful book about the role of medics in war and disaster zones.

That sounds right up dd's street. She is really eager to go off and volunteer with an organisation like MSF in the future, so I think she would be really interested in this.

AlexaShutUp the main aim of Adam Kay’s book was to show the job (through his diaries) from qualification to the moment he decides to leave the profession.

It goes into the horror show of hours, understaffing, responsibilities you’re not qualified for, scheduling shifts, moving jobs, trauma that staff have to put up with etc. It’s actually really illuminating and human, ignoring the treatment of women patients and midwives played for laughs.

He makes the point very well that if you knew what lay ahead of you at the time you’re choosing your A levels or applying to medical school, you’d be extremely put off by the reality. So perhaps not a book for your dd.

House of God is indeed a must read just to understand ‘buff and turf’.

Thanks VerlynnWebbe - I'm all for going in with your eyes wide open but I don't want to totally put her off, and if he eventually decided to leave the profession, I'm guessing that there is no sense of it all being worth it in the end...so I might give that one a miss.

No idea what buff and turf refers to Nuie, I guess we'll have to read the book to find out!

AlexaShutUp a medico-legal book isn't a bad idea. Something to take in medicine, ethics and the law.

In a way it is a chance to explore the aspects of medicine that interest her most, which is why a good browse in the Wellcome Institute shop, if accessible, can be useful. It was interesting to see what DD picked up.

DD is dyslexic hence being happy to read about non-NT characteristics. (After reading Neurotribes she went on to read some of the other books on the subject that popped up in her Amazon recommendations.) Her peers have a very wide range of interests, including ethics, surgery etc. One even wants to be a pathologist. Having an initial idea of what areas of medicine interest you, with evidence of having followed through on the interest via books, TED talks etc, can be useful either in the PS or at interview.

As for knowing a bit about the downsides of hospital medicine, I don't think this is a bad thing. Medical training is expensive. Every course will have some students who realise medicine is not for them. (Not least, some parents do their DC no favours by pushing them towards "a good career".) It is important to be believe the upsides outweight the downsides.

Thanks goodbyestranger, that sounds like a good idea - any specific recommendations?

Thank you needsmoresleep, I do agree that it's good to go in with eyes wide open. There is definitely no parental pushing going on in our case, I had never really considered dd going into medicine, she didn't even like science until around year 9 when it suddenly seemed to get interesting! At the moment, she is really interested in pediatrics and an extended family member is a consultant pediatrician, so I'm trying to arrange a call with her at some point so that she can give her a warts and all picture of what it's like! We'll definitely be heading for the Wellcome Institute bookshop when circumstances permit!

As it may be months before you can get to the Wellcome Institute bookshop in person, worth checking out their website for a virtual browse. Potential Christmas presents for one thing!

I recommend the Joanna Cannon book.

wellcomecollection.org/books

Extremes by Kevin Fong an ITU/ anaesthetist, looks at physiological changes and treatments developed from extremes eg of temperature, altitude, heat etc. Fascinating read and a bit different.

blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/home

OP if you search for medicine, ethics and the law on the Blackwells website there are plenty to choose from. My advice would be to avoid anything which looks seriously heavy.