Three Books All Pre-Health Students Should Read
AUSTIN WAHLE – There is a reason why many interviewers from healthcare related schools ask the question, “What is the last book you read?”, or “What book that you have read has had the greatest impact on your path to applying to this school?”. Although there are many explanations as to the reasoning behind this, I have always found it to be that diagnostic charts and laboratory results have a story behind them: a living, breathing human whose life is woven in and around these numbers and diagnoses. Books and literature help to bring these numbers to life, offering reflection behind stories and insight into the human state that might underlie disease.
Three books that feel especially relevant to students pursuing careers in healthcare are:
1. When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi
When Breath Becomes Air is a must-read for all students aspiring to become doctors or hoping to practice in healthcare. This piece follows Dr. Paul Kalanithi during his journey from his Neurosurgery residency to becoming a patient in the exam room diagnosed with stage IV metastatic lung cancer. This narrative delves into the story behind each scan and lab report and offers a deep reflection into what a battle can be like when you have been trained for years to recognize the enemy.
2. Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro
Never Let Me Go feels like a mystery from start to finish and paints a picture of a dystopian world that manages to feel very close to home. It is hard to explain this book without giving something important away, but what I will say is that this story illuminates the ethical questions of healthcare that become more relevant with every passing day. If you are looking for a thought-provoking book with deep ties in biomedical ethics, this should certainly be on your shortlist.
3. Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracy Kidder
Mountains Beyond Mountains follows Dr. Paul Farmer’s work with the health and social justice organization Partners In Health, which Dr. Farmer helps to expand in Haiti and in Peru. Dr. Farmer travels the world on his mission to treat and combat infectious disease and to advocate for healthcare options for the poor.Amidst the current pandemic, the theme of treating infectious disease and dissemination of healthcare stands more important than ever before.
Whether you are looking for a thought-provoking, good read or looking for an excellent interview talking point, these books are sure to not disappoint. Each one will, in its own way, remind you of the human nature behind healthcare and connect healthcare to the larger picture, whether that picture be the individual person fighting a silent war or a public, international pandemic.
Copy Editor: Ishan Vaish
Photography Source: Bianca Patel, https://www.ideastream.org/news/cleveland-fed-study-examines-jobs-that-dont-require-a-college-degree