TV series such as Doctor House or Grey’s Anatomy might have made you love medicine. It is a very complex field, but one that never stops to amaze. The human body is a powerful machine that is prepared to handle even the most extreme situations. But at the same time, to be a surgeon, you need to know how the body works. Mistakes are not allowed in the medical field because there are people’s lives that are at risk.
However, not all passionate about medicine decide to pursue a career in this field or even start studying health. It takes quite a few years to learn all the ins and outs of the human body. And to become a specialist, even more. But many want to read more about others’ experiences in this domain. About the mysteries of the human body.
Or even some fiction related to this. The good thing is that there is a growing body of literature on medical topics. And some of them can help you understand more of this field and enlarge your knowledge.
Read students essays about health
Students who decided to pursue their dreams and started studying medicine or other health-related topics, know that there will be challenges along the way. This is not an easy topic to study, especially if you want to build a career in this field. Writing essays on health topics is one of the tasks you will surely have during your college years. You might feel overwhelmed by the fact that you can choose your own topic. It is a vast domain and you could talk about anything. So, you might read samples online. But for sure you will come across a list of health essay topics that will inspire you. And you can write a compelling essay.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
This is one of the most intimate memoirs that have been published in the last few years. Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with terminal cancer. And this changed his life considerably. From being a surgeon who saves other people’s lives, he became a patient that needed to be saved. It is a memoir about how one adapts to the idea of death. Witnessed by a doctor.
The Anatomy of Hope by Jerome Groopman
Those who say that medicine is not about storytelling but only about science and facts are partially wrong. Of course, what they are saying is not false. But some extraordinary events or discoveries in the medical field can be adapted to stories so that they reach more people. And this is what this book is about. Jerome was a medical student when he realized that there is something important to this field. Something many people overlook. The power of hope. So, he began his quest of understanding what hope is from a biological point of view and how it affects the lives of patients. Hope is very relevant in mental illnesses too.
White Coat: Becoming a Doctor at Harvard Medical School by Ellen Rothman
All look at people trained at prestigious schools with admiration. Well, this book shares more insights into how life is as a student at the best school in the country. It is not as dreamy or idyllic as you may imagine, especially if you study medicine. There are long nights of studying, weeks spent in hospitals, all-nighters, and so on.
Final Exam: A surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality by Pauline Chen
Being a surgeon or working in the health field means saving lives. This is what Pauline had in mind when she started studying medicine. But not many talk about what happens behind curtains. There is more death than you are prepared for. And being empathic in a field where death is everywhere can turn out to be a burden. Learn more about the challenges of being a surgeon and what doctors go through.
Ending Note
Reading helps anyone have contact with different ideas. It helps you learn more. So, if you want to find out more about medicine and health, you can start by reading these books. Most of them are written by surgeons, students, and people who worked in this field. So, you can get in touch with the challenges they went through.
Bio lines: James Collins is a journalist. His main topics are health and medicine. James wants to translate this scientific field into accessible and readable articles. This way, more people would learn about the fascinating human body.
