Book Recommendation before medical school

[westsidestoryz]

I have some time now to relax and get my mind together for school.

Any book you guys recommend before I start school? It can be of any genre, as long as it will aid in my journey and help me prepare for school

Thanks!

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[AsepticTechnique]

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Or anything by Atul Gawande

 

[Zacky]

I have some time now to relax and get my mind together for school.

Any book you guys recommend before I start school? It can be of any genre, as long as it will aid in my journey and help me prepare for school

Thanks!

"Doing Right" By Philip C. Herbert

 

[Medic741]

Emcrit podcasts. Especially anything to do w resuscitation mindset/mindfulness/decision making & communication

“Genealogy of morals”

 

[Eleithyia]

As ever, "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi (for a med-related read).

For fiction, I really enjoyed the Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman.

Personally, I revisited some old favorites leading up to starting school, since I knew I wouldn't have a ton of chances to read them once it started.

 

[drhop]

As ever, "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi (for a med-related read).

For fiction, I really enjoyed the Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman.

Personally, I revisited some old favorites leading up to starting school, since I knew I wouldn't have a ton of chances to read them once it started.

A strong recommendation would be " Being Mortal "....A book by a Harvard surgeon treating his own Surgeon Dad.

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[Shammyguy3]

Harry Potter

 

[skk_]

As ever, "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi (for a med-related read).

Seconding this. It was actually mandatory pre-matriculation reading at my school, but also probably the only required reading i've had where I was glad that I was told to read it.

 

[freedoctor17]

If you want to shift away from medical stuff and learn how to budget and finance before starting med school (if you're not already good at it) Dave Ramsey is the way to go.

 

[LizzyM]

Letters to a Young Doctor by Richard Selzer.

Also, anything fun in any genre you like. The memories will keep you going during the time when there is no opportunity to read for pleasure. That is what will help you in your journey.

 

[deleted938090]

Perhaps some of the classics if you haven't already. You'll never such an opportunity again.

Homer, Herotodus, Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Plato, Virgil, Ovid, Dante, Shapeskeare
Gardner's Art Through the Ages - this is SUCH a good book for art history. During that class, our assignments were to sketch and describe all of the images in each chapter.
The American Pageant - The BEST american history book IMO. I read this cover to cover.
Elements of Style by Strunk and White - should be required reading in any english class tbh
Mythology by Edith Hamilton - The best for greek mythology.
There's a whole list of lit classics that I was planning to read but unfortunately life got in the way:
Books That Everyone Should Read At Least Once (19730 books)
I've read ~80% of the first 100 and I highly recommend it. You can't possibly get the beauty all the cultural references and memes on the internet etc without seeing these

 

[westsidestoryz]

Currently reading "When Breath Becomes Air" and "How Doctors think"

Both are super insightful and I will def check some of the books on here

 

[yobo9345]

The White Coat Investor (James Dahle)- gets you in the headspace of being financially "with it" before taking on all this debt

 

[MyOdyssey]

A Random Walk on Wall Street makes a compelling case for eschewing individual stock picking and instead investing in low cost index stock funds.

@Sophist Would you add Beowulf to your list? And as for the classics, are there certain translations you prefer over others?

 

[AdenineThomasPhosphate]

Maus is an amazing graphic novel by Art Spiegelman about his relationship with his father who is a survivor of the Holocaust, and about his father's experiences in the holocaust. You could probably read it in anywhere from 4-6 hours.

I just finished The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Loved it. It's a weird, trippy, surreal, science-fiction, fantasy, western epic. It's long, with 7 full length books, but excellent. The first book isn't amazing, just get through it because the rest is amazing.

 

[Boola Boy]

All of the Game of Thrones books. Read before the new season comes out. Impress your friends with canonical knowledge and shouting “but that didn’t happen in the books!” while your friends with social lives describe every episode of the new season. You’ll be too busy to binge watch GoT, except during vacation.

 

[Snickerdoodle1996]

All books by Gawande

 

[altblue]

Definitely check out The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

All of the Game of Thrones books. Read before the new season comes out. Impress your friends with canonical knowledge and shouting “but that didn’t happen in the books!” while your friends with social lives describe every episode of the new season. You’ll be too busy to binge watch GoT, except during vacation.

I think rewatching 1-7 is a lot more realistic lol.

 

[Fennel608]

Gawande’s books are wonderful, but his New Yorker articles are sometimes even better. He just released one called “the upgrade” that was a great read. Oliver Sacks was a great writer as well and I like his focus on his patients, I’ve personally read Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. I also recommend the article called “what does it mean to die” on the Jahi McMath case. And, like that article, it’s important to have readings that are from a patients perspective or from the perspective of specific populations you want to work with. It helps to build empathy, in my opinion as little as that may be worth. But, you should also just read books that you like, because you likely won’t get the chance to do that for a while.

 

[brownsfan999]

"Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder for sure. "Being Mortal" is my favorite Gawande book.

 

[deleted938090]

>Being a premed and not having read all the Gawande books at this point

It's always funny when I chat with other students about the last book they've read and they mention something related to a passage in those books
Tells you that they don't read anything else

 

[brownsfan999]

>Being a premed and not having read all the Gawande books at this point

It's always funny when I chat with other students about the last book they've read and they mention something related to a passage in those books
Tells you that they don't read anything else

How does that tell you they haven't read anything else? I've read all of his books... and I've read a bunch of books from different genres. Just because it's the last book they read doesn't mean that they've only read Gawande.

 

[deleted938090]

How does that tell you they haven't read anything else? I've read all of his books... and I've read a bunch of books from different genres. Just because it's the last book they read doesn't mean that they've only read Gawande.

Well obviously people read books, but I highly doubt that's a new book that they've read. If it is really the last book they read, either they had just reread the book, or they hadn't read anything else between then and now.

 

[brownsfan999]

Well obviously people read books, but I highly doubt that's a new book that they've read. If it is really the last book they read, either they had just reread the book, or they hadn't read anything else between then and now.

Or maybe they are just reading them to gain perspective before interviews? Your logic is flawed and you're judging people for no good reason.

 

[deleted938090]

Or maybe they are just reading them to gain perspective before interviews? Your logic is flawed and you're judging people for no good reason.

How’s my logic flawed? That’s one of the possibilities I mentioned earlier.

I am not an interviewer and when I ask someone for a book they’ve read, I don’t want to hear that for the 40th time. I’m sure interviewers also hear that a lot. So many premeds have read those books that it can be assumed that it’s related to interviews. Tell me a book that’s not related to applications: surely that can’t be the only book they’ve read, right?

 

[freedoctor17]

I highly recommend the stormlight archive, one of my favorite series ever (if you like fiction/fantasy).

 

[MyOdyssey]

The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov. Beware the Mule!

Beowulf by unknown Vikings. Laid the foundation for the modern day action hero/super hero.

The Great Gatsby - A cautionary tale about the corruption of the American Dream rings just as true today.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Journey to the West. The Monkey King combines the fighting prowess of Thor with the mischievous personality of Loki.

 

[vrazzles]

If interested in feminism and horror movies, Men, Women, and Chainsaws is a fascinating read.

Also for a cross cultural anthropology read I like The Spirit Catches you and you Fall down

Foundation series by Isaac Asimov

Ooh and Seeing Patients for those who still don't get the value of HBCUs and affirmative action in admissions.

 

[Bacchus]

I have some time now to relax and get my mind together for school.

Any book you guys recommend before I start school? It can be of any genre, as long as it will aid in my journey and help me prepare for school

Thanks!

I'm a bit tongue in cheek with this, but Ready Player One (and then watch the movie because its like one of those arcade at the bars, spot the difference (photo hunt)). I know you're probably thinking I'm crazy but one, it will take your mind off medicine and two, it will make reference to a lot of the 80s Americana which will be important when folks like me (UGH) get treated by you because when you're done school and residency there's a good chance my generation will need more and more care and we'll be more knowledgeable talking about Whitesnake, G'n'R, Meatloaf than Fetty Wap (?sp) and enjoy talking more about Friends and BMW than RHNJ (some random other city).

 

[Valtun]

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Or anything by Atul Gawande

All books by Gawande

Gawande’s books are wonderful, but his New Yorker articles are sometimes even better. He just released one called “the upgrade” that was a great read. Oliver Sacks was a great writer as well and I like his focus on his patients, I’ve personally read Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. I also recommend the article called “what does it mean to die” on the Jahi McMath case. And, like that article, it’s important to have readings that are from a patients perspective or from the perspective of specific populations you want to work with. It helps to build empathy, in my opinion as little as that may be worth. But, you should also just read books that you like, because you likely won’t get the chance to do that for a while.

"Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder for sure. "Being Mortal" is my favorite Gawande book.

>Being a premed and not having read all the Gawande books at this point

It's always funny when I chat with other students about the last book they've read and they mention something related to a passage in those books
Tells you that they don't read anything else

I've heard a lot about Gawande and his books but never really got the opportunity to read any. Out of his 4 books that he has out now, what do you guys believe is the best order to read them in? (like what are the best to worst)

Any book of his that is a for sure read before looking at the others?

 

[deleted938090]

Probably most accessible (and most touching) is Being Mortal. It is most accessible to premeds (imo). The others are from a physician's POV that is more distant from what we can see from clinical experience.

 

[RangerBob]

Kill as Few Patients as Possible. It’s a hoot.

I agree with reading stuff by White Coat Investor-one of my biggest regrets is not Lear big more about the preventative measures I could have taken with regards to debt accumulation. It’s never too early to learn about personal finance.

MrMoneyMoustache, a blog, is great for lifestyle stuff you can do now to learns how to live in less (and actually be happier and healthier).

 

[westsidestoryz]

I recommend Distracted by Matthew Hahn for incoming M1s to become more aware about the political/business side of medicine

 

[PickleRickelus]

Cancer Ward by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

 

[Stagg737]

If you want to shift away from medical stuff and learn how to budget and finance before starting med school (if you're not already good at it) Dave Ramsey is the way to go.

Eh, not a huge fan of Ramsey as I feel his aversion to any kind of debt is counterproductive to the path to being a physician unless you somehow get a free ride and then become employed. As others said, WCI is a better resource for physicians and Bogleheads is another blog/site that's good for medical finances.

I've heard a lot about Gawande and his books but never really got the opportunity to read any. Out of his 4 books that he has out now, what do you guys believe is the best order to read them in? (like what are the best to worst)

Any book of his that is a for sure read before looking at the others?

Setting aside that Gawande is kind of a huge tool irl, Being Mortal is probably his best one for medical ethics and looking at the deeper meaning and morals of medicine. I think Checklist Manifesto is the most relevant to actual clinical practice and how the implementation of relatively simplistic concepts can have the greatest impact in medicine, even in the most advanced fields (actually especially in the most advanced fields).


Other good reads:

If you're interested in looking at things from multiple moral perspectives, The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal is great. It's a short book but the back has excerpts from something like 50 different individuals and their perspective on a single ethical question, can you forgive something like the Holocaust. Some very interesting perspectives from some of the worlds most influential minds at the time.

The House of God is always recommended reading for anyone pursuing medicine. It's a cynical look into medicine but a lot of it actually rings true.

One of my personal favorites from college was Don't Believe Everything You Think. It's a great read about some of the basic logical fallacies and biases in our everyday thinking and how to address these when analyzing various situations.

If you're interested in research then I second The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It's a really good look into both the history of modern cellular research as well as how research can start out benign and completely ethical and quickly become twisted and exploited.

 

[Rachapkis]

The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene, both by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

 

[907914]

The entirety of the Hyperion Cantos is phenomenal, particularly the first 2 books.

The first book is like the Canterbury tales - there is one central story/pilgrimage, but each night the main characters tell their story of what brought them to this pilgrimage. The first book ends on the cliffhanger of hearing all of these stories but not knowing the results of the pilgrimage...and the second book just beautifully tied up every single loose end except one small storyline. That small storyline becomes the basis of the next two books. Overall, fantastic.

 

[aldol16]

When Breath Becomes Air.

 

[westsidestoryz]

The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene, both by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

Emperor was superb. I love history and when you mesh it with medicine..its gold. Read it twice already

 

[westsidestoryz]

If you're interested in looking at things from multiple moral perspectives, The Sunflower by Eli Wiesel is great. It's a short book but the back has excerpts from something like 50 different individuals and their perspective on a single ethical question, can you forgive something like the Holocaust. Some very interesting perspectives from some of the worlds most influential minds at the time.

Sounds really interesting...added to the list. Thanks!

 

[fyang0414]

I agree with When Breath Becomes Air as well as anything Gawande as others have expressed. If you get a chance, read his articles on the New Yorker as well, I felt like they were good reads and very eye opening. I also really like Oliver Sacks, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him speak whenever he was on NPR/other podcasts

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk can be a powerful yet difficult read, especially if you have some personal connection to the material.

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari was entertaining as well, about to start the sequel, Homo Deus.

I could not put down Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou. Everything about Theranos was crazy! I can't wait for the documentary to come out tonight.

I also thoroughly enjoyed The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde. This was a reading in my narrative medicine class that I enjoyed.

Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond I highly recommend as well since it gives an intimate look into socioeconomic disparities, housing in particular. I personally enjoy reading these kinds of narratives.

For fiction, Kafka By The Shore by Haruki Murakami! Sorry this is the only fiction I have read recently

 

[LukaDoncicLuk]

Eh, not a huge fan of Ramsey as I feel his aversion to any kind of debt is counterproductive to the path to being a physician unless you somehow get a free ride and then become employed. As others said, WCI is a better resource for physicians and Bogleheads is another blog/site that's good for medical finances.

Ramsey is a complete dunce. I've listened to him a few times on the radio and he legitimately told someone to work to save up to pay for med school instead of taking out loans. He gives financial advice and doesn't understand the huge opportunity cost.. WTF is he on?

 

[westsidestoryz]

Any recommendation for self-help books?
I just finished reading "12 Rules for Life", and I must say, I feel a bit empty.

 

[Seyeydnav]

Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese (?sp).....beautiful read and highly acclaimed....about medicine and written by a physician

Saturday by Ian Mcewan.....passages relating to neurosurgery very realistic in its details....a good read written by a Pulitzer winner

 

[aquarius349]

Just finished 'Being Mortal' and yeah, as everyone else has probably said, it's a must read (for anyone).

 

[aquarius349]

Any recommendation for self-help books?
I just finished reading "12 Rules for Life", and I must say, I feel a bit empty.

Definitely would recommend "Outliers" By Malcolm Gladwell. It's an amazing and helpful book on success and the psychology of reaching success. I would also recommend even the classic "The Prophet", although not exactly a straight up "self-help" book, but nonetheless a very influential, engaging, and rewarding read.

 

[ZukosRedemption]

Hyperion by Dan Simmons!

Edit: It might not help with medical school, but still read it if you have the time.

 

[907914]

Hyperion by Dan Simmons!

Edit: It might not help with medical school, but still read it if you have the time.

I already recommended the entire cantos ^^^^ earlier. That’s two votes for Hyperion!

 

[DoctorSnow]

I am in middle of reading The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons by Sam Kean. A book about the historical events that led to the breakthroughs in Neuroscience. Very interesting read about how our world takes a giant leap in science every couple decades by sheer luck/coincidence. I just started Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson but that's because I find astronomy and astrophysics very interesting.