Writer, M.D.

About this book

"From Chekhov to Maugham to William Carlos Williams, doctors have long given voice to their unique perspectives through literature. Writer, M.D. celebrates this rich tradition with a collection of fiction and nonfiction by today's most beloved physician-writers, including, Abraham Verghese, on the lost art of the physical exam Pauline Chen, on the bond between a med student and her first cadaver Atul Gawande, on the ethical dilemmas of a young surgical intern Danielle Ofri, on the devastation of losing a patient Ethan Canin, on love, poetry, and growing old These essays and stories illuminate the inner lives of men and women who deal with trauma, illness, mortality, and grief on a daily basis. Read together, they provide a candid, moving, one-of-a-kind glimpse behind the doctor's mask"-- "For centuries, doctors have turned to the written word, giving voice to their unique perspectives through literature. Writer, M.D. celebrates this tradition with a wide-ranging selection of writings--both fiction and nonfiction--by some of today's most beloved physician-writers. These stories explore a range of emotions deeply felt by doctors--an acute awareness of our mortality, of the interplay between medicine and humanity, of the weight of responsibility carried by the profession. They also bring into sharp focus the point of view of the patient, illuminating the experience of grief, trauma, illness, and aging that doctors witness through their work. From Abraham Verghese on the lost art of the physical exam to Pauline Chen on the strangely intense relationship between a med student and her first cadaver; from Atul Gawande on practicing to be a doctor to Ethan Canin on love and growing old--Writer, M.D. provides a one-of-a-kind peek into the minds of those who deal with enormous existential issues and traumatic situations on a daily basis, showing us what really makes doctors tick"--