I recently read a NYT piece called, “Why Would Anyone Choose to Become a Doctor?” by Dr. Danielle Ofri. It’s a sweet essay written by a physician who describes being perplexed by the large number of medical school applicants yearly, considering her profession’s numerous annoyances.
As the author considers alternatives to her career, however, she comes to the conclusion that her clinical encounters make it all worthwhile. The essay is a nice pick-me-up.
A few weeks ago, I recommended reading This is a Soul: The Mission of Rick Hodes, and today I want to highlight another must-read for the physician or doctor-to-be. The Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down was published in 1997 and promptly won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, among other accolades.
The book chronicles the U.S. medical experience of a Hmong family, showcasing the twisted miscommunications between the two groups. It’s an excellent story and strong reminder to all medical caregivers as to how – although everyone may be aiming for the patient’s best – cultural differences can spoil the doctor-patient relationship.
Check out the recent article in the NYT regarding a JAMA study that demonstrates a surprisingly high number of medical students who post profanity online. It’s kind of a strange research question, but makes for some good conversation.
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes.
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Dr. Michelle Finkel, a former Harvard residency admissions officer, uses her expertise to provide individually-tailored advice to candidates applying to medical school, residency, fellowship, post baccalaureate and dental school programs. Years of candidate selection at Harvard taught Dr. Finkel what characteristics comprise a desirable applicant and how even bright candidates make mistakes that undermine their admissions success. Dr. Finkel is a practicing Emergency Physician with nine years of experience training medical students, residents and fellows. Read more
