Top 7 Medical Books That Every Doctor Should Read

Anatomy and physiology textbooks will likely be by your side during your medical studies, and you will likely read a lot of scientific papers. However, you might want to read something before you start that gives you insight into the world of medicine as it is practiced, whether it is in research, in the clinic, or in the operating room.

In light of this, we have compiled a list of books that, we hope, will provide you with a solid understanding of medicine without turning into a textbook!

Which medical book have you found to be the best?

Top 7 must read medical book for doctor

• Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
• This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay
•  Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Healthcare Handbook by David Werner
• Do No Harm by Henry Marsh
•  When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
• The House of God by Samuel Shem
• Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

1. Bad Science by Ben Goldacre

Ben Goldacre's Bad Science is a must-read for anyone who is interested in research (which you should be!). This gem brings humor and facts together to show what happens when things are slow in the lab and what really goes on behind every discovery.

Ben Goldacre, a British physician and researcher, explains the fundamentals of the scientific method in research in a humorous and eye-opening manner in this book. He talks about the mistakes made by some researchers, universities, and scientific journals, as well as the problems caused by bad science, as he puts it. This can take the form of exposing dubious claims made by fear-mongering journalists in pursuit of a straightforward news story or by researchers concealing significant results on the grounds that they would not publish them. This book is highly recommended if you want to learn about the realities of research while still having fun reading it.

2. This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay

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The perfect book for a holiday reading list!

A collection of textbooks for medical students Adam Kay's This Is Going to Hurt is the only book on this list that you should read. It's a thought-provoking and motivating read. Adam Kay's career as a gynecologist is chronicled in this series of humorous but instructive accounts that begin when he applied to medical school. He explains that the admissions process is rather arbitrary and does not always select students who have the right skills for the job. He goes on to talk about his time as a junior doctor, the first time he saw a death, the first time he saved a life, and gives a good look at what it's like to be a junior doctor in the NHS.

3.  Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Healthcare Handbook by David Werner

A Village Healthcare Handbook was originally written as a healthcare manual based on the author's experiences in a village in western Mexico. The book aims to teach its readers how to deal with healthcare issues even in a remote area where professional care may be scarce. Although this is one of the more dense texts on this list, it is definitely worth reading to learn more about medicine in developing countries. In the process, you will also pick up some helpful hints. The essential steps to prevent, recognize, and treat common health issues, such as AIDS and malaria, abortion, and drug addiction, are outlined in an informative manner.

4. Do No Harm by Henry Marsh

Do No Harm by Henry Marsh is another insightful account of a doctor's experiences in which neurosurgeon Henry Marsh delves into the realities of handling someone else's life. "An unforgettable insight into the countless human dramas that take place in a busy modern hospital, and a lesson in the need for hope when faced with life's most difficult decisions," are some of the praises that have been heaped upon it.

Marsh will challenge your notion that complex skill, knowledge, and a steady hand are the only requirements for neurosurgery. You must be able to live with the consequences of the agonizing daily decisions that must be made quickly. In most cases, as he explains in this section, a neurosurgeon must carry out procedures that leave the patient with the lesser of two outcomes (such as paralyzing them in order to preserve their life). What happens if everything goes wrong during the procedure, despite the fact that it is expected to be successful? What do you do about it?

5. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

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A neurosurgeon at Stanford University, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer at the age of 30. His book is When Breath Becomes Air. He uses this book to tell his story and talk about how to be gracious when facing death while also asking old questions like "What is the meaning of life?" What factors make a life worthwhile?

According to Kalanithi's writing, medical settings frequently bring up the issue of life's meaning. In order to be a surgeon, and particularly a neurosurgeon, you must learn to determine who can be saved; who was unable to; which ones shouldn't A patient is condemned to a life they would never want to live if they are rushed to the operating room to save their brain just enough to keep their heart beating, leaving them unable to speak and destined to eat from a straw for the rest of their lives. Kalanithi explains why it is critical to be able to help a patient and their loved ones comprehend illness and death.

6. The House of God by Samuel Shem

The only work of fiction on this list is The House of God by Samuel Shem. Written in the early 1970s, it is a novel about a group of medical interns at a hospital called The House of God. It tells the story of Roy, the department's new intern, and the people he meets there, based on the author's actual experiences; for instance, Fat Man, a resident from the second year who holds the belief that old people never die. It depicts a medical student's life after graduation in a light-hearted and satirical manner. Even its own set of guidelines exist, including the following:

Rule 12: There cannot be a lesion on the chest x-ray if the resident in radiology and the medical student both observe one.

This is the book for you if you're looking for a funny book that also shows you how busy an intern's life can be.

7. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

In his book "Being Mortal," American surgeon Atul Gawande talks about how care for the elderly and sick has changed since the early 1900s, when American hospitals were more like holding cells and didn't do much for patients. This drastically changed when they started receiving antibiotics and monitoring equipment. It discusses the cultural contrast with Asian and Middle Eastern nations, where elderly people are revered and cared for by their families until they require more extensive assistance. Additionally, assisted suicide and future hope for the aging population are discussed by Gawande.