Best book to read before starting?

[ChiDO]

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Iserson's Guide to Residency.

 

[doctor311]

I fully agree to not study at all before starting school.

However, if you want some fun/interesting medically related books, read Atul Gawande (as mentioned in other posts). He has two great books - Better and Complications.

A really entertaining book is Hot Lights Cold Steel by Michael Collins, who wrote about his residency as an Orthopod at Mayo. Its an fun and quick read.

More importantly, spend your summer doing what you love doing and hanging out with your friends/family. You will have plenty of time to study once your in med school.

 

[Cp22kjer]

Complications: A Surgeons Notes on an Imperfect Science

Read and recommend. Good writing and interesting throughout.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I fully agree to not study at all before starting school.

However, if you want some fun/interesting medically related books, read Atul Gawande (as mentioned in other posts). He has two great books - Better and Complications.

A really entertaining book is Hot Lights Cold Steel by Michael Collins, who wrote about his residency as an Orthopod at Mayo. Its an fun and quick read.

More importantly, spend your summer doing what you love doing and hanging out with your friends/family. You will have plenty of time to study once your in med school.

I find Atul Gawande incredibly BORING. Just my opinion though. I think his credentials are the only reason his books sold so well.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

If you want something that will be high-yield for boards, I suggest this:

 

[KeyzerSoze]

If you want something that will be high-yield for boards, I suggest this:

They can do that?

 

[alphaholic06]

It was a joke. The best book to get is anything not related to medicine, preferably read through sunglasses with a little GNR playing on the ipod, Corona bottle dripping beads of condensation onto your beach towel.

Keyer Soze refer to the quoted post from Tic.

 

[KeyzerSoze]

Keyer Soze refer to the quoted post from Tic.

Oh... I thought that it would give me a big advantage if I started off first year knowing how to identify microorganism with my trusty old mass spectrometer.

 

[261766]

A really entertaining book is Hot Lights Cold Steel by Michael Collins, who wrote about his residency as an Orthopod at Mayo. Its an fun and quick read.

So I started reading this book. are the "sleepless nights" he refers to before or after they changed the hour limitations for residents?

 

[TexasPhysician]

So I started reading this book. are the "sleepless nights" he refers to before or after they changed the hour limitations for residents?

While not reading that book, residents can still work up to 30 straight hours at a time (I believe), and only have to average 80 hours/week over a months span. Meaning some weeks at 100 hours and some at 60 would be kosher.

Many residency programs still work their students over 80 hours and expect residents to "lie" on their time sheet.

 

[DocVirk]

So I'll join in with some serious recommendations:

1) Don't read anything that is anything like studying. You will get enough of that later. Seriously, don't pre-study. You don't want to be that guy.
2) Don't read House of God. You will have enough time to get blackened and cynical on your own. House of God is a little like Animal House set in a hospital. It is incredibly depressing and offensive, and I really strongly don't recommend it.
3) Mountains Beyond Mountains- a great story about a great doctor. This will remind you why you want to be a doctor. It will also make you feel guilty that you are not in the third world killing yourself.
4) I second Groopman's "How Doctor's Think" although it's more applicable when you're a clinical student and find yourself running into these traps. I also second Gawande's books.
5) Gifted Hands- the autobiography of Ben Carson, who performed the first separation of craniopagus twins. Great rags to riches story, although be forewarned that it is Christian and the writing may be a little cheesy at times.
6) Richard Selzer is not bad and is a very interesting writer.
7) Anything non-medical that you enjoy.

-Have fun. Good luck in med school.

 

[lilylull]

Body of Work - Cristine Montross: This is a great narrative of first year anatomy lab. It gives you a good idea of what to expect in gross lab. I read it before 1st year and I think it helped me keep a better perspective on the whole experience.

Mountains beyond Mountains is also a great book!

Enjoy your summer and good luck next year! 🙂

 

[Quix]

The Gawande books, and House of God (and Mount Misery if you want). War Hospital is also an incredible read. How Doctors Think is interesting, as it also summarizes some of the automatic cognitive traps we all fall into (an extension of current research on cognitive heuristics and biases). And, of course, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

 

[Preop]

I was told you shouldnt read House of God until at least after you've started third year clinicals.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I was told you shouldnt read House of God until at least after you've started third year clinicals.

I would read it once before and after. It is that good.

It won't make you cynical. A lot of it is very true.

 

[251478]

Forget reading, just watch every episode of House and Scrubs there is. That should help prepare you 😀!

 

[doctor311]

Forget reading, just watch every episode of House and Scrubs there is. That should help prepare you 😀!

After almost a year of medical school, I can say that House has led me toward a couple of correct answers for test questions throughout the year. Cheers!

 

[Cp22kjer]

So I'll join in with some serious recommendations:


3) Mountains Beyond Mountains- a great story about a great doctor. This will remind you why you want to be a doctor. It will also make you feel guilty that you are not in the third world killing yourself.

I felt the same way! Great read!

 

[Dedikated2liftn]

"Big'uns"

 

[scudrunner]

Here are some books I read during my year off:

Evolution and Healing by Nesse and Williams
House of God by Shem
Intern by Jauhar
Final Exam by Chen
Better by Gawande (read Complications a few years ago)
How to Study in Medical School by Kamyab

I'd recommend all of them, start with House of God.

 

[scudrunner]

So I'll join in with some serious recommendations:


2) Don't read House of God. You will have enough time to get blackened and cynical on your own. House of God is a little like Animal House set in a hospital. It is incredibly depressing and offensive, and I really strongly don't recommend it.

HAHAHA, maybe if you are the religious type. If you've got a good sense of humor and are not offended by sex, you'll enjoy this book. I did.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Forget reading, just watch every episode of House and Scrubs there is. That should help prepare you 😀!

Lol. I actually did watch every episode of scrubs from December to last week with the last episode. I watched them all online. When I say all I do mean all eight seasons.

 

[MsKrispyKreme]

Lol. I actually did watch every episode of scrubs from December to last week with the last episode. I watched them all online. When I say all I do mean all eight seasons.

Link? 😳

 

[TMP-SMX]

SurftheChannel for older seasons and ABC for the latest episodes.

 

[sidalexis]

Here are some books I read during my year off:

Evolution and Healing by Nesse and Williams
House of God by Shem
Intern by Jauhar
Final Exam by Chen
Better by Gawande (read Complications a few years ago)
How to Study in Medical School by Kamyab

I'd recommend all of them, start with House of God.

Did you find this helpful and/or realistic?

 

[scudrunner]

Did you find this helpful and/or realistic?

Yeah, it seems like good advice and I'm definitely glad I read it. I plan on using his outline for studying/note taking when I start school in June.

 

[durty]

I'm currently reading Hell's Angels in an attempt to enjoy my time off before we go nose to the grindstone. Let your mind rest for a few months you'll be in better condition when the school year starts.
-durty

 

[Dr Lyss]

Is the book Intern any good? I was thinking about reading it but I wasn't sure...

 

[HrryUpNwait]

Yes! Intern was great and I loved it. I have been watching this thread for a while waiting for someone to bring it up. It isn't about med school really (obviously), but it is a great whole-life representation of the long hours of internship in internal medicine-something every physician will have to rotate in at some point in his/her training.

 

[Elixir86]

Is the book Intern any good? I was thinking about reading it but I wasn't sure...

Yes, I second this recommendation. I read it last summer before my 1st year of med. school. Very easy and compelling read. The author seems like a very down-to-earth kind of person who is smart and also makes mistakes as he goes through his Intern year.

 

[MsKrispyKreme]

I think I'll check "Intern" out after I finish reading "House of God". Who is the author?

 

[RoadRunner17]

I think I'll check "Intern" out after I finish reading "House of God". Who is the author?

Sandeep Jauhar. It's not a bad book. House of God was pretty hilarious, yet according to my PI, most of the stuff in that book is realistic 😕😛 When I look at him quizzically, he says to just read it again during M4..

 

[JonathanMD]

Is the book Intern any good? I was thinking about reading it but I wasn't sure...

It was a good read.

My only complaint is that I come away from the book thinking he really didn't want to be a physician at the beginning, middle, or end. It's like he ended up being very good a job that he will never truly enjoy doing as much as the doctor next to him.

 

[HrryUpNwait]

It was a good read.

My only complaint is that I come away from the book thinking he really didn't want to be a physician at the beginning, middle, or end. It's like he ended up being very good a job that he will never truly enjoy doing as much as the doctor next to him.

I agree. He seems like he is pushed into a medical career, but I found that refreshing when compared to books by gung-ho medsters. Either way it is a great book to get a feel for the process of medical training as well as hospital operations and hierarchy.

 

[Dr Lyss]

I agree. He seems like he is pushed into a medical career, but I found that refreshing when compared to books by gung-ho medsters. Either way it is a great book to get a feel for the process of medical training as well as hospital operations and hierarchy.

he was an intern at NYP-Cornell right?

 

[SB100]

I was told you shouldnt read House of God until at least after you've started third year clinicals.

Stephen Bergman (Samuel Shem) was my Phi Beta Kappa speaker this weekend, and he said you should read it after your residency so you can reflect.

 

[tomorrowgirl99]

I suggest reading any book not related to medicine. Try a classic or something more modern like The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

 

[kakalak]

I suggest reading any book not related to medicine. Try a classic or something more modern like The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

I'll second The Perks of Being a Wallflower.It's a quirky book that will make you enjoy life's weirdness.

All the Gawande books are great too.

I'm reading Final Exam right now and it is pretty good as well. If you've read the Gawande books I think you'll like it.

Anyone care to talk a little more about Iserson's Guide to Residency? I feel like I need to read something like that since the getting-a-good-residency game seems a little different from the getting-into-med-school game.

 

[kac714]

Is the book Intern any good? I was thinking about reading it but I wasn't sure...

I really liked Intern- I got it over the weekend and finished it tuesday... I started house of god yesterday, and so far like intern way better. Does anyone know of any similar books written by women?

EDIT: I found a book called On Call by Emily Transue. Has anyone read this?

 

[Dr. McDreamy]

I'm interesting in reading ahead of time, so what one book would be the best to read before starting med school? I'm not looking for rote memorization, moreso just something that I can read and learn from.

Any suggestions would be great.

House of God. hehe

....oops you guys beat me to it. Thats what i get for not reading to the end before posting.

 

[Elixir86]

EDIT: I found a book called On Call by Emily Transue. Has anyone read this?

Yeah, I read it while a pre-med. It was okay. I enjoyed Gwande's books and Intern more.

 

[treva]

House of God sucked, in my opinion. It got to be the same old crap about halfway through the book.

If you really want to pre-read I'd say Robbin's Pathological Basis of Disease or Harrison's Internal Medicine. Robbin's is probably easier to read cover to cover than Harrison's. But really? Why would you want to do such a thing? Sure you've had time off, but my God! Reading Robbins or Harrison's on your FREE time?!! 😕😕😕

 

[confuse]

I suggest reading something that's not medicine related: either fiction or nonfiction (as in reading up on your hobbies). I picked up chess in med school and read many chess books in the summer between M1 and M2. It was a great hobby and helped relieve stress. You'll learn plenty in school so take time to relax now.

 

[kumarn]

The World is Flat v3.0 by Thomas Friedman

will really open your eyes to how the world is changing before you go tunnel vision in med school

 

[Simmy]

Medical school related:
Moore's essential clinical anatomy... Pretty easy to read, alot of clinical examples.. Very related to what you will learn in anatomy....


BUT as allready stated, its better to just relax and wait untill the ****storm hits you once you start school up.... But there is nothing wrong in having a basic anatomy edge before starting.

 

[ACGator09]

I've read this one. I can't say I recommend it compared to some of the others out there:

Complications by Atul Gawande
Better by Atul Gawande
Intern by Sandeep Jauhur
First Do No Harm by Lisa Belkin

all great books. i am currently reading Match Day by Brian Eule. kinda like Intern.

 

[ACGator09]

Forget reading, just watch every episode of House and Scrubs there is. That should help prepare you 😀!

ok so i started watching scrubs and IT IS HILARIOUS. a lot of the themes are (yes, slightly exaggerated) but true. started watching like 3 days ago and done with season 1 already... good thing there are 7 more seasons!

 

[SB100]

ok so i started watching scrubs and IT IS HILARIOUS. a lot of the themes are (yes, slightly exaggerated) but true. started watching like 3 days ago and done with season 1 already... good thing there are 7 more seasons!

Rumor has it the creator may do a spin-off that is filmed from a different perspective than the J.D. monologue.

 

[afugazzi]

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman is awesome.

 

[lukgirl]

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman is awesome.

Yes, I was also just about to suggest the Spirit Catches You. Such a gem of a book--it's what got me turned onto medical anthropology back in undergrad.

I also liked Anatomy of Hope by Jerome Groopman (also read his How Doctors Think, which was really good). Any of Rachel Naomi Klein's books are great (I read Blessings from my Grandfather, hoping to read Kitchen Table Wisdom soon).