Residents

I am a fourteen-year-old who someday wants to become a doctor, but until I read this book I honestly had no idea what the medical residency entailed. Although Residents did not discourage me from my dream, it definitely opened my eyes to what I will be facing in less than ten years. However, I feel that this book is also of interest to people who do not have any interest in a medical career, simply because when it's estimated that 100,000 people die every year because of doctors' errors, it's obvious that this issue affects more than just the small percentage of the population going through residency training. A definite five-star read.

Residents : The Perils and Promise of Educating Young Doctors gives a very true-to-life description of the often overworked and abused physician in training. When I read this book I was at the end of a very frustrating political battle in my own residency training which ended sadly with my moving into another field where I could still make use of my medical knowledge and training. In the book there are cases which sadly paralleled my own experience. The most positive aspect of this book is that it can make everyone aware of this often abusive training system which has a very powerful impact on medical training in this country and which ultimately effects everyone's health care. It is important for everyone to know what goes on in teaching hospitals and this book is both informative and very readable. It is unfortunate that it is currently out-of-print since it is important reading for anyone who is concerned about the health care system. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the field of health care or who cares about those who may need the services of a physician both now and in the future. It is a must read!

David Duncan's exploration of the life of residents was fascinating and frightening. I couldn't put the book down. He really made me think twice about the current educational system for Doctors in this country. I can't wait to read another of Mr. Duncan's explorations! Amy Kemp ([email protected]