6 books for medical students I've read and changed my life- real stories

1. Fragile Lives by Professor Stephen Westaby

About the author

Prof. Dr Stephen Westaby is one of the best cardiac surgeons in the world. He is from the United Kingdom and a member of American Association of Thoracic Surgery. In the present, he doesn’t perform surgeries anymore, but he still is a great professor for anyone who would like to listen to him. I had the privilege to met him at a medical conference in my country, and I found him very inspiring.

Short book review

In the book, he presents his life from the beginning to our days (the book has been published in 2017). You will see in this book that being passionate and motivated in medicine will give you the necessary strength to do what you want because Prof. Dr Westaby first worked at a hospital when he was still in college and even if he wasn’t allowed to enter in surgery/autopsy rooms- he did it.
You will find out how he managed the hardest cardiac surgeries on babies or adults. Once you see that it is possible to do those surgeries perfectly you will be motivated because many doctors can’t perform the surgeries he describes in the book
During the surgeries, he almost always finds a way to save his patients life (many times he comes with a great/unconventional/saving idea during the operations). All of them have a detailed description in the book.

Why you should read it

Once you read it, you will feel invincible. It’s very motivational for medical students and not only. It’s the best book I ever read, and I read a lot.
Each time you have a barrier to pass in your medical student life or as a doctor, take this book and start reading it. It will give you the necessary positive thinking and energy to pass through everything to reach your goals.
It’s also a good way to learn some new information about cardiac surgery and its technology.

2. Gifted Hands – Ben Carson

About the author

Anyone knows that Dr. Ben Carson is the first and the only neurosurgeon who:

• successfully complete separation of conjoined twins joined at the back of the head,
• pioneering the first successful neurosurgical procedure on a fetus inside the womb,
• performed the first completely successful separation of type-2 vertical craniopagus twins,
• developed new methods to treat brain-stem tumors,
• developed hemispherectomy techniques for controlling seizures

Short book review

He was a very poor child, his parents were divorced, and his mother couldn’t afford to buy him the necessary things in life. Dr Ben Carson was quite aggressive because of this in his childhood, but he was smart enough to know what he needs to escape from his unfortunate life: study. The writer decided to study medicine because he felt like it is made for him, and he was right.
In the book, he detailed his life before medical studies, while studying and at the beginning of his career. You will found out how he managed to perform those surgeries that are unique in the world.

Why you should read it

If you want an example in life, he is the one (and prof dr Stephen Westaby of course).
He wrote this book to show people that if they want something, they can have it with determination and hard work.
It’s extremely motivational. If you need to regain your motivation or to be more ambitious in your medical studies or career, you should read this book as many times as you need.

3. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks- Rebecca Skloot

About the author

Rebecca Skloot was a journalist who tried hard to speak with Henriettas’ family, who studied a lot her life and wanted to make everything known. After she got all the information she needed, she wrote this excellent book. During the investigation, she had a lot of trouble because Henrietta’s family didn’t want to speak about her.

Short book review

Henrietta Lacks was a poor woman with cervical cancer from America who passed away tens of years ago. Her gynecologist collected cells from her tumor without her knowledge and approval. After that, the medicine was revolutionized. Her cells are called „Hela cells”- named originated in her name and changed everything on this planet.

Her cells have something different and unique: they permanently multiply without dying. Those cells were bought by scientists in a million dozen. Specialists from the entire world wanted those cells, and after many years they still live and continue to change things in medical fields.

The book says Henrietta Lacks story: how her cells were collected, why, by whom, how was her life, what her family did in those times, for what her cells were used and so on. All the information you need as a medical student about her and medical information about these unique cells- you can find in this book.

Why you should read it

You will love this book if you love medicine. You don’t have to be a medical student to read it, but you have to know a little about genetics (biology from high school is enough).
It is a real story, a story that changed everything in medical and research field.

Reading it, you will find why they are so special, and you will be amazed at what medicine can do and what human body can be.
Here is a clue: only because of her cells, the polio vaccine, cloning studies, in vitro fertilisations and many many other things were possible.
Read it to find all the things that were made and discovered in medicine because of her cells and why this is possible. (Henrietta was unique, no one with the same cells was known till our days)

4. Grey Matter by David I. Levy

Of course, you should read Merck Manual too, but we will speak about it in another post. :D

Short book review and why you should read it

So, Grey Matter was written by a neurovascular surgeon. You will find out how many things you have to pass in life to be an excellent neurosurgeon and why.

This book has two purposes:
a. To see how a neurovascular surgeon life is, how you should treat your patients and see that any doctor encounter problems during their surgeries no matter how good they are. In fact, you have to learn how to pass through this problems and how to solve them!
b. To see how faith in God can help you as a surgeon/clinical doctor. In this book, David Lavy shows how God help him before and after each surgery he does.

If you have a strong faith in God or if you need to see how it can help you in your career, you should read it! Amazing or not for you, this neurosurgeon really believed that his faith helped him to complete some difficult surgeries.

5. The Minds of Billy Milligan – Daniel Keyes

Before I start talking about this book I'd like to mention that it was written by a psychologist which investigated this case.
If you are passionate about psychology or psychiatry, you will find this book awesome. I’m not passionate about those fields, but I still find it awesome. You will be amazed by what a human mind can do- and everything is real.

Short book review

Billy Milligan was a criminal that committed some armed robbery and three rapes. But, there was a problem: he never recognized them.
Judges thought that he faked this loss of memory to escape from prison, but Daniel Kees believed that Billy had a problem. And he was right. Billy Milligan suffered of a multiple personality disorder; he was diagnosed by a large number of psychologists after a really hard work because not even professionals didn’t believe that his problem even exists.

Why is his case so famous and unique?

Well.. because Milligan is the first person diagnosed with a multiple personality disorder and the first that was acquitted of his crimes for this reason. He had to spend a decade in mental hospitals. He died only three years ago, but his life and his mind problem are still revolutionary to many people.
From this book, you will find out how a mind with multiple personality disorder works, why someone can have such a problem and how hard it is to be like this, to diagnose it and to understand a person with this problem.
The book also presents his life, mind, doctors that tried to solve his problem. Many people don’t believe it, but once you read the book, you will see why it is possible and how incredible a mind is.
Here is a clue: he wasn’t born with it, but he had it from childhood. Why? Because he wanted to protect his mind. He was abused, and this was his way to forget everything.
In fact, what option do you have? Two dozens of different personalities are the solution!

Why you should read it

To see what a human mind can do. You will be amazed to understand what is happening in Billy Milligan brain. Reading this book you will see how hard it is to be a psychiatrist/psychologist, to manage people with mental disease, but you will also understand how you can do it.

6. Smoking Ears and Screaming Teeth- Trevor Norton

Short book review and why you should read it

Reading this book, you will find who and for which reasons they performed some medical experiences in the past, how they were made and what results they had.
You will also read some history of medicine (for example history of anesthesiology- the first substance used, why doctors didn’t want to use it anymore and so on)
It’s an easy way to get some medical information and because it is a lovely book – each medical student should read it.