Learning to Play God: The Coming of Age of a Young Doctor

by Robert Marion

Book Overview

Dr. Robert Marion draws from his own experiences as medical student and resident to recreate the dehumanizing and often brutal process of medical training. With wit and compassion, Marion's you-are-there reports show how humanity and idealism can survive the grueling path to technical competancy.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0201577208
• ISBN13: 9780201577204
• Release Date: October 1991
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 267 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Greatest book for all pre-med

There are only a few books that I enjoyed as much as this book. Dr. Marion is an amazing writer. He manages to keep readers interested without being unrealistic. I recommand this book for anyone interested in becoming a doctor or even dating someone that is thinking of becoming one. The book explores the shortcoming of modern day medical training and the emotional stress that students go through in the process. A must read for pre-med students!

A MUST read for anyone interested in medicine

This book was absolutely the best true to life book I have read about the medical journey. I could not put it down. Marion is honest about his medical experiences, and although it is dated it is one of the best books I have ever read. If you are interested in becoming a doctor, read this first!

Honest

Dr. Marion holds nothing back in his memoirs of medical school and residency. He is able to show us the fear and inadequacy he felt as a young student doctor without trying to explain away mistakes that he made (refering to the "NICU from Hell"). Every medical student and resident has experienced feelings of sheer terror and complete exhaustion during their training, but Dr. Marion is one of the few I've seen who was willing to tell the public about it. A must read for anyone in or around (family/friends) the profession of medicine.

Very Realistic

As a third year pediatric resident, it was gratifying to know that others have gone through the training and lived to tell the tale. However, I found the complete lack of preparation and ability of the interns to be a bit over-exaggerated. I think that the training has become much better since Marion was an intern. Still, there were many nights early in my second year when I was the senior resident in the house and I had nobody to turn to for guidance during difficult situations. Young physicians are forced to look very confident,especially at times when inside we may be terrified and feel very insecure about our abilities. Marion really captures that emotion. He also really captures the abuse of the housestaff by some faculty who treat us like slaves. Hopefully patients, as well as medical personnel will read this book, and gain a deeper understanding of what we have gone through.

Good look at medical training in US

A very accurate account of one man's medical school education and training. This author, who is obviously a very sensitive and compassionate man, reveals how sleep deprivation, overwork, and lack of respect from doctor colleagues help turn today's doctors into unfeeling, irritable, automatons. It is telling, that a man such as this author, an obviously caring, perceptive doctor, was denied admission to many U.S. medical schools, and had to begin his training in another country. (Fortunately, after 6 months in a foreign school, the author was lucky enough to make a U.S. contact who helped him get into a U.S.medical school.)