What books should every pre-med read?

[AnatomyAndAnonymity]

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Hello everyone! I am a reading fanatic in dire need of book recommendations and would love to hear y'all's suggestions on books that have impacted your perspective on medicine. Thank you in advance!

 

[Goro]

The Emperor of All Maladies : A Biography of Cancer
by Siddhartha Mukherjee

The Greatest Benefit to Mankind : A Medical History of Humanity from Antiquity to the Present
by Roy Porter

 

[Dakota]

War Doctor by David Knott and This is Going to Hurt:

War Doctor was just so different and covered so many topics from ethics, politics, the human condition etc. and it talks about finding your interests in medicine.

This is Going to Hurt: Hurt to read(in a good way), but also had a lot of brilliant dark humor. Talks about a young doctor navigating burnout in multiple aspects of his life. Its real, its gritty, and its hilarious at times, but the writer has a way of showcasing the good, bad, and the ugly. An all time favorite of mine (If you couldn't tell) ... The show is meh imo.

 

[AnatomyAndAnonymity]

Throwing my hat in the ring, my TMDSAS girlies (and anyone else for that matter) may be interested in Women Pioneers in Texas Medicine by Elizabeth Silverthorne and Geneva Fulgham. Their stories are remarkable examples of the ability to overcome considerable barriers when motivated by purpose, and I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about those who paved the way for me.

Bonus fun fact: I ordered my copy from an online used book retailer, and it turned out to be signed by both authors and had been part of the library at the National Women's History Museum! It's definitely earned its place as one of the coolest books I own, both for content and the neat backstory. : )

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Recommendations (documentaries from books) from Becoming a Student Doctor include

You should be able to watch the Ken Burns coverage of "The Emperor of Maladies if you are subscribed to the appropriate streaming services.

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies | Magic Bullets | Episode 1

Follow the centuries-long search for a cure, leading to chemotherapy and a “war on cancer.

www.pbs.org

American Experience | Trailer | Plague at the Golden Gate | Season 34 | Episode 4

How the bubonic plague in 1900 set off fear and anti-Asian sentiment in San Francisco.

www.pbs.org

derived from

Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague by Steven K. Randall — Intima

As life begins to resume a sense of normalcy, it’s important to reflect upon the lessons learned from the pandemic. Numerous parallels may be drawn to the bubonic plague outbreak of San Francisco at the start of the 20th century. Black Death at the Golden Gate by David K. Randall provides an acc

www.theintima.org

 

[JAK2-STAT3]

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman

Awakenings by Dr. Oliver Sacks

Every Deep Drawn Breath by Dr. Wes Ely

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

My Own Country by Dr. Abraham Verghese

 

[RangerBob]

Kills as Few Patients as Possible by Oscar London

 

[polymerization]

Staring at the Sun, Irvin Yalom, MD
Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl, MD, PhD
The Drama of the Gifted Child, Alice Miller, PhD
Virtue Hoarders: The Case Against the Professional Managerial Class, Catherine Liu, PhD
The Problem of the Puer Aeternus, Marie-Louise von Franz, PhD
The Fantasy Bond, Robert Firestone, PhD
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, Isabel Wilkerson

I feel like I should include a disclaimer, but if I told you reading these will literally change your life, would you believe me? So it goes.

 

[LizzyM]

The Emergency by Thomas Fisher (COVID-era memoire)
Forgive and Remember by Charles Bosk (non-fiction, find it used)
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (fiction, not specifically about doctoring but an update of a Dickenson cast of characters)

 

[stonecutter4991]

The Emergency by Thomas Fisher (COVID-era memoire)
Forgive and Remember by Charles Bosk (non-fiction, find it used)
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (fiction, not specifically about doctoring but an update of a Dickenson cast of characters)

I picked up demon copperhead a few months ago at the airport on a whim and ended up spending a significant amount of my vacation glued to it. Absolutely one of the best books I ever read, and I would say it helped me with my secondaries - my experiences with underserved communities are from the outside, and looking through the other side of the glass helped me avoid (some) pretension in my writing.

To add to the list:
Being Mortal (Atul Gawande) is an excellent discussion of death and medicine
When Breath Becomes Air (Paul Kalanithi) is a beautiful book

Don't limit your self to only medicine-focused literature during the application process - your writing will be shaped by what you are reading, and you'll benefit from listening to a range of clever/sharp/funny/insightful writers. Enjoy some Terry Pratchett, Anthony Bourdain, Scott Lynch, Ken Follett, etc.

 

[AnatomyAndAnonymity]

Don't limit your self to only medicine-focused literature during the application process - your writing will be shaped by what you are reading, and you'll benefit from listening to a range of clever/sharp/funny/insightful writers. Enjoy some Terry Pratchett, Anthony Bourdain, Scott Lynch, Ken Follett, etc.

So true! I love reading across all genres as long as I find the premise interesting! Currently in the middle of Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America's Cemeteries by Greg Melville, and really appreciate the author's insight into how our burial customs reflect societal conditions. Will definitely have to check out some of your author suggestions as well! : )

 

[LunaOri]

The House of God. Somewhat outdated now, but still so true!

 

[LizzyM]

The House of God. Somewhat outdated now, but still so true!

I almost added this. Medical satire at its best, written in the late 1970s, IIRC. There are many non-PC terms used in that book that one should never, ever use today (GOMERs do go to ground but don't ever refer to a patient as a GOMER). Also, save yourself the time and avoid the sequel which was written years later and is just dreadful.

 

[sardinetoast]

Mountains Beyond Mountains has been life changing and I haven't even finished it yet

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Recommended Reading

Recommended books on diversity in medicine that highlight the challenges and contributions of various ethnic and marginalized groups in the U.S.

www.aacom.org

Also, as an aside, support your local bookseller:

https://bookshop.org/pages/bookstores

 

[shinymagikarp]

Surprised no one's mentioned "In Shock: My Journey From Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope" by Rana Awdish

 

[unumsolum]

I liked When Breath Becomes Air

 

[MrM45]

All Atul Gawande (Being Mortal, Complications, Better, The Checklist Manifesto)
When Breath Becomes Air
The Emperor of all Maladies (A little more history/informational, less ethical/thought-provoking)
Overkill

 

[Geodon]

I know you wanted books that impact a person's perspective on medicine, but one that impacted my perspective on life is "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. That book will make you realize what really matters in life.

 

[Basalganglia4life]

My school had us read "Medical Apartheid" by Harriet A. Washington. It's a really tough read, but really important to know the history of medicine's roots in the exploitation of black and brown folks and how that exploitation continues to this day.

"The Death Gap" is also a great book to read to better understand how SDOHs and how the side of a street you live on determines the quality of your health and how long you live

 

[unumsolum]

Also The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, it's about the woman who the HeLa cell line was sourced from and is really enlightening in terms of the unethical/inequitable issues with medicine

 

[nobadwaves]

House of God - Samuel Shem
Better, Complications, Checklist Manifesto, and Being Mortal - Atul Gawande
The Doctors Plague: Germs, Childbed Fever, and the Strange Story of Ignac Semmelweiss - Sherwin Nuland
When the Air Hits the Brain - Frank Versonick
The Anatomy of Hope and How Doctors Think - Jerome Groopman
The Man Behind the Mask: Journey of an Orthopedic Surgeon - Thomas Mallory
White Hot Light: 25 Years in Emergency Medicine - Frank Huyler
Surfing and Health - Dorian Paskowitz

There are more, but these are some of my favorites off the top of my head.

 

[nobadwaves]

I know you wanted books that impact a person's perspective on medicine, but one that impacted my perspective on life is "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. That book will make you realize what really matters in life.

Morrie wrote a follow up that is "Morrie: In His Own Words," by Morrie Schwartz. Completely worth it if you are looking for a great book.

 

[nobadwaves]

I almost added this. Medical satire at its best, written in the late 1970s, IIRC. There are many non-PC terms used in that book that one should never, ever use today (GOMERs do go to ground but don't ever refer to a patient as a GOMER). Also, save yourself the time and avoid the sequel which was written years later and is just dreadful.

“Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not let them.”