A Year-Long Night

This was a terrific book on what it's like to start out as a doctor. He describes events from his internship from the perspective of a newcomer, and I felt what it was like to become a doctor without having to go through all that medical school stuff. The most interesting part to me was when he described the feelings medical students go through in separating in their mind the physical body and the psychological being inside. I've always thought that since I faint at the sight of blood I would never be able to be a doctor, but that's what most new medical students do! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I enjoyed even more his other book on becoming a psychiatrist, because it included more personal stories about the philosophical questions he encountered during this transition in his life. The author also writes very interesting articles for the New York Times, some of which you can find if you search the web.

Dr. Robert Klitzman writes with passion and insight about the particular rewards and frustrations associated with the process of becoming a physician. With profound sensitivity, he articulates the challenges of learning how to heal not only the body but the soul. He is a writer of dimension, heart and integrity. A writer to remember.