Good books to read before med school starts?

[ct303]

Looking at some long flights ahead of me and wondering if any of you had any good suggestions for books to read. They can be preparation for the material of school, or advice/tips books for school. Anything? Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Jojokarade]

Once you are in school, it is hard to make the time to complete an entire novel (and actually remember everything that happens). What I always tell incoming students is to enjoy your summer and don't do anything medicine related if possible. You will get enough medical exposure once school starts. Read a good fiction book and enjoy the absolute freedom you have right now.

 

[EMDO2018]

The Mountain vs. The Red Viper

 

[hoihaie]

Books I like that are medicine related

http://www.amazon.com/What-Doctors-..._B001KHNC6G_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1357226842&sr=1-5

http://danielleofri.com/books/medicine-in-translation/

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cancer-Chronicles-Unlocking-Medicines/dp/0307595145

http://www.amazon.com/The-Emperor-All-Maladies-Biography/dp/1439170916

 

[siffster]

Game of Thrones as @EMDO2018 hinted!

 

[CherryRedDracul]

The House of God by Samuel Shem.

 

[lightupthesky9]

I really enjoyed reading this one: http://www.amazon.com/Brain-Fire-My-Month-Madness/dp/1451621388

 

[LizzyM]

Looking at some long flights ahead of me and wondering if any of you had any good suggestions for books to read. They can be preparation for the material of school, or advice/tips books for school. Anything? Thanks!

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/airport-reading.665718/ Here's an old thread that may have just what you are looking for and the first post has a link to an even older post with additional suggestions.

 

[orangeman25]

Has anyone read Letters to a Young Doctor by Richard Selzer, MD?

Did you like it?

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Anyone read Atul Gawande's books? I'm about to start Complications: a Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science. He also wrote Better.

I also highly recommend Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.

 

[LizzyM]

Has anyone read Letters to a Young Doctor by Richard Selzer, MD?

Did you like it?

Yes, I read it when I was young, but not a doctor. I did like it.

 

[orangeman25]

Anyone read Atul Gawande's books? I'm about to start Complications: a Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science. He also wrote Better.

I also highly recommend Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.

Yeah I read both of Gawande's books. I liked Complications more; there was more idealism in that book compared to Better. As an aspiring physician, I connected to it more.

What is Cutting for Stone about?

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Anyone read Atul Gawande's books? I'm about to start Complications: a Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science. He also wrote Better.

I also highly recommend Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.

I've read random chapters from his books and I thoroughly enjoyed them. His articles in the New Yorker are also amazing.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

A Nation in Pain by Judy Foreman
(I wish this pain problem were taken more seriously).

I also recommend League of Denial (which concerns CTE and the NFL). Doctors and the medical community have played (and continue to play) a role in this very critical issue.

 

[ridethecliche]

I loved Cutting for Stone.

There's a book by Crichton about his life and he talks frankly about medicine and medical school. That was a good read too.

I'd add 'The spirit catches you and you fall down' to the list.

 

[Xenoblade]

Gray Matter - Dr David Levy

 

[Ace-Co-A]

What is Cutting for Stone about?

The lives of twins born to an Indian nun in Africa are followed as both ultimately pursue careers in medicine. Their father is a British surgeon who worked at the hospital in which the Indian nun worked as a nurse. The nun dies giving birth to the twins (who have a birth defect in which they are conjoined). The surgeon - normally extremely composed - stubbornly tries to intervene but is unsuccessful. Ashamed, the father-surgeon disappears from the hospital and the two boys are rised by the other two physicians who work at the hospital (a male internist - who becomes a surgeon - and a female obstetrician). The two remaining doctors eventually get married. The story follows one of the two twins (Marian) who trains as a surgeon and ultimately ends up in the States where he is reunited with his father. His brother (Shiva) stays in Africa and becomes very famous for developing a medical procedure although he never formally trains as a physician.

 

[WillburCobb]

Not medical but I'd recommend any of Chuck Klosterman's non-fiction (his fiction isn't awful but leaves something to be desired), Retromania, The Denial of Death, and anything by Camus.

Edit - I'm pretty sure my suggestions are going to be brushed over pretty readily, but I forgot to suggest, " Hip: A History". I'm reluctantly reading HOG right now (it's not that bad, I just hate all the hand jobs SDNers are willing to give it). After that, I'll be reading a biography of Captain Beefheart, "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain, and re-reading, "Hip...".

 

[hoihaie]

Gray Matter - Dr David Levy

He came to talk to my fellowship once, real nice guy and very inspiring. Signed my copy of his book too

 

[masaraksh]

I'm working through Capital in the twenty-first century by Thomas Picketty. Book has gotten a lot if press. Enjoying it.

 

[Xenoblade]

He came to talk to my fellowship once, real nice guy and very inspiring. Signed my copy of his book too

I had a chance to meet him too, but I couldn't drive like 15 miles to meet him that day. It was actually like a weeks ago.

He is a friend of a friend, and my friend said dr. levy is like one of the most humble doctors he has EVER met, which is saying a lot considering that my friend works with a lot of religious doctors who spend years working in third world countries.