White Coat: Becoming a Doctor at Harvard Medical School

by Ellen Lerner Rothman

Book Overview

White Coat is Dr. Ellen Lerner Rothman's vivid account of her four years at Harvard Medical School. Describing the grueling hours and emotional hurdles she underwent to earn the degree of M.D., Dr. Rothman tells the story of one woman's transformation from a terrified first-year medical studen into a confident, competent doctor.

Touching on the most relevant issues in medicine today--such as HMOs, aIDS, and assisted suicide--Dr. Rothman recounts...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688175899
• ISBN13: 9780688175894
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 8 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 3 and higher

Customer Reviews

A Good Read

Very interesting book on how Harvard medical students learn how to become doctors. A sequel to this book would be the residency years of her training. I just wish there was an epilogue at the end to find out how the author is practicing today.

Very inspiring

I really enjoy this book, it makes me recall the days when I was a medical student, clerk, and intern. The observation and description are superb. And in a feminine point of view, it makes the scenario more detailed and heart-stirring. It doesn't intend to pretend to be saint or great as someone thinks that Harvard something should be, I think it just honestly reflect the feelings, the thoughts come to mind. And I hope the author can publish more books like this. According to the introduction in the Taiwan's translated edition, the author works at Indian Reservation in Arizona now. So, I think the author is really a good doctor who doesn't regard "life quality" as a doctor's major concern. That's not easy.

This book led me to where I am now

After reading about her experiences, I made my decision to go into the field of medicine (as opposed to nursing or PA). This book may have been one of the determining factors in leading me to be who I am, and who I will be in the future!

useful

I thought this book was reflective of what it is really like to go to medical school. Many of the experiences she relates are similar to what I've experienced and felt in medical school.

Read this book!

A wonderful book that "tells it like it is". It's a first-person narrative that journeys through acceptance into med school through graduation. The reader will get a strong sense of the pace of medical school, as well as some of the mental challenges along the way. It's feels as though the author and the reader are side-by-side. One feels the accomplishment and frustration of the author. This is a must-have for anyone contemplating medical school.

Delightful Journey

Doctor Ellen Lerner Rothman has written a good book. She takes you through her life while she's in medical school. Through her ups and downs, you learn what it would be like. I rate this a proud 5 stars. I gladly recommend this book to any person that is interested in medical school or medicine in general.