Today, we have two medical student guests from the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) on the blog! Jasmine Davis (she/her) is the President of AMSA and an MD/MPH student at Melbourne University, and Ashraf Docrat (he/him) is the AMSA Policy Officer and an MD student at Griffith University.
Together, they’ve picked out 4 books about life in and around the medical world that make for fantastic reads. Check them out below!
Medical school can be tough. You may ask, how on earth do a group of medical students have time to read books other than textbooks? Well, most of the time we don’t, but when we do, we often like to pick up a book that makes us feel like we are studying inadvertently … kind of like how you try and convince yourself that watching Grey’s Anatomy is studying. This list of books is your go to for any procrasti-reading you may need to do throughout your studies!
This is Going to Hurt
by Adam Kay
Be transported into the busy Obstetrics & Gynaecology departments of the NHS through Adam Kay’s collection of journal entries detailing the highs and lows of what everyday life is like for a trainee doctor. This must-read medical memoir has also just been turned into a TV series by the BBC.
It is often remarked that the junior doctor years are some of the most stressful and challenging years of a medical career. Adam Kay’s account of his experiences is disarming in its honesty about what it really feels like to take on this role. From mundane problems like paid hospital parking (yes, even for staff!) to the toll of losing a patient, every situation is infused with a relatable sense of humanity. Kay’s honest, no-holds-barred account of events and his often humorous internal monologue transforms what would solely be a depressing tale of burnout and dysfunction into something that equally captures the highs and lows of life.
Buy it here
Thinking Fast and Slow
by Daniel Kahneman
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, acclaimed research psychologist Daniel Kahneman takes us on a journey that will challenge your assumptions and make you question how you see the world around you.
While not strictly related to medicine, Thinking Fast and Slow is a very digestible and entertaining explanation of the cognitive biases and flawed thinking processes we all fall victim to and that can have real impacts on the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Kahneman gives us the language to explain our thought processes and to see how flawed thinking emerges. The delineation between System 1 and System 2 thinking in particular is something easily applicable in everyday life. Thinking Fast and Slow is surprisingly entertaining and engaging for a non-fiction, academic novel. Every chapter contains interactive examples which force you to notice how your brain falls victim to the various cognitive biases described. For budding medical students, this will certainly influence how you approach diagnosis and at the very least will make you look ‘oh so smart’ in your case tutorials.
Buy it here
Being Mortal
by Atul Gawande
Atul Gawande is a household name in medical literature, known for tackling difficult topics in medicine through his engaging and raw honesty. Being Mortal explores one of the most challenging parts of medicine, which is dealing with the inevitability of mortality. Gawande takes you on a journey through this book to explore the differing ways in which our healthcare and social systems deal with mortality and the ageing process.
Whilst this book is somewhat confronting in how it highlights some of our systems and societies failures in enabling people to have a peaceful end to their life, Gawande manages to leave the reader on an optimistic note.
This book will make you contemplate all of your previous thoughts about the meaning of life, death, and what makes up a life well lived. This book is an important read for anyone in the medical field, as reflecting about mortality, the assumptions you have of ageing, and your views on what is important, will have significant impacts on your patients in the future.
Buy it here
Emotional Female
by Yumiko Kadota
Emotional Female is a must-read for any current or future healthcare student. This memoir of Dr Kadota, an Australian female surgeon, highlights an unfortunately common experience of many young women in medicine as she shares her experiences of sexual assault, overwork and burnout. Kadota bravely calls out the toxic components of the culture of medicine through bravely sharing her story, and lays everything out on the table so generously to enable readers to learn about how much work still needs to be done to improve the culture of medicine for people of diverse backgrounds, genders and sexualities.
Kadota takes you through her journey chronologically, from student, to intern and to her eventual decision to leave the hospital system and go into teaching. Reading the book as a medical student provides some very relevant and sometimes humorous reflections on what it is like to work incredibly hard through a very difficult degree and career. Dr Kadota is an example of the exact kind of medical leaders we need, and the more doctors and students that read and reflect on this book, the brighter our future profession will be.
Buy it here
About AMSA
The Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) is the peak representative body for Australia’s 17,000 medical students. AMSA connects, informs and represents medical students through advocacy, events, publications and volunteering opportunities. AMSA has recently started a book club for medical students around Australia. You can learn more about AMSA here or follow us on social media @youramsa.
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