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The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician's First Year
Unavailable
The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician's First Year
Unavailable
The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician's First Year
Audiobook8 hours

The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician's First Year

Written by Matt McCarthy

Narrated by Matt McCarthy

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

A scorchingly frank look at how doctors are made, bringing readers into the critical care unit to see one burgeoning physician's journey from ineptitude to competence.

In medical school, Matt McCarthy dreamed of being a different kind of doctor-the sort of mythical, unflappable physician who could reach unreachable patients. But when a new admission to the critical care unit almost died his first night on call, he found himself scrambling. Visions of mastery quickly gave way to hopes of simply surviving hospital life, where confidence was hard to come by and no amount of med school training could dispel the terror of facing actual patients.

This funny, candid memoir of McCarthy's intern year at a New York hospital provides a scorchingly frank look at how doctors are made, taking readers into patients' rooms and doctors' conferences to witness a physician's journey from ineptitude to competence. McCarthy's one stroke of luck paired him with a brilliant second-year adviser he called "Baio" (owing to his resemblance to the Charles in Charge star), who proved to be a remarkable teacher with a wicked sense of humor. McCarthy would learn even more from the people he cared for, including a man named Benny, who was living in the hospital for months at a time awaiting a heart transplant. But no teacher could help McCarthy when an accident put his own health at risk, and showed him all too painfully the thin line between doctor and patient.

The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly offers a window on to hospital life that dispenses with sanctimony and self-seriousness while emphasizing the black-comic paradox of becoming a doctor: How do you learn to save lives in a job where there is no practice?

LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 7, 2015
ISBN9781101889244
Unavailable
The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician's First Year
Author

Matt McCarthy

Matt McCarthy is the author of two US bestsellers, The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly and Odd Man Out. He is an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell and a staff physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where he serves on the Ethics Committee. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Slate, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Deadspin. He reviews nonfiction for USA Today and is editor-in-chief of Current Fungal Infection Reports.

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Reviews for The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly

Rating: 4.149682547770701 out of 5 stars
4/5

157 ratings77 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As a future physician I enjoyed reading this narrative of a physician's first year. It is helpful for me personally to read other physicians experiences because it reminds me that I am often not alone in the range of emotions I feel in my quest to be a good physician.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was a journey. I think the author did a good being honest about his experience and giving a in-depth look at his experiential and emotional development. He didn't try to make himself super likeable and that was good because it showed how he improved over time in his patient care and lost the arrogance for confidence.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the kind of non-fiction that keeps you interested, absolutely no skimming over boring explanations. With a cockiness that stays just on the side of humor, this recounting of an intern's first year is harrowing, to say the least. Peppered with cringe-worthy phrases (a lot of "groin mashing") and well explained medical procedures, this book made me glad that I decided a long time ago to not become a doctor. And it made me nervous for those close to me that will be entering that hectic and scary and exhilarating world soon. Assuming that there wasn't exaggeration for drama, this should be read by anyone entering medical school.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed this book and the glimpse it gave me into the first year of life as a real doctor. It has a nice balance of technical content and human story. An entertaining, quick read. It is a good choice if you're traveling and have time to kill waiting at the airport or on a long flight.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I received an ARC as an Early Reviewer.The author's writing style is fluid and easy going and gives a glimpse into a doctor's world. I have read some other books by doctor's/medical students and this is certainly one of the better ones.As someone who was never brave enough to get into a profession where you might be responsible for someone's life, I thoroughly admire what it takes to correctly diagnose and treat the various ailments.Looking forward to reading more from this author.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will look for others by this author. His writing style is straightforward while also being rich enough to not feel sparse or simplistic. The only reason I didn't give this one of my rare "9 stars" is because the author seemed rather self-centered. All the other people in the book were one-dimensional and placed in the book only in-so-far as how they related to him. For instance, you only read about his girlfriend when she was taking care of him in some fashion. Other than that, I highly recommend this book as an amusing and informative look into an intern's first year.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An enjoyable and fairly down-to-earth account of a physician's first year internship at Columbia University Medical Center. Matt McCarthy was not a flawless medical student and was not afraid to say so in this memoir. Well written but easy to read, this only further reinforces the fact that I know I could never even think about being a physician. Kudos to all those medical students, especially those who are able to survive the first year and continue on.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I won an ARC as an Early Reviewer. I could not believe I read this in one day. There is something about the author's writing style that just lets you fly. And I did other things yesterday, really I did. Another reviewer made mention of "another" book on an intern's first year. I guess I hadn't come across them, and might be glad of it if it had somehow diminished my enjoyment of this one. I gave up on Grey's Anatomy years ago, LOL. At any rate, this really put the humanity into medicine for me. It made me think about how little you might know about doctoring upon leaving med school, and how that may vary depending on where you went to school. And to wonder too if we do medical education properly - maybe students should be in the hospitals more simultaneously with their academic education - a synergistic effect must result. I was happy to read that the author ended up in teaching - I think he has a lot to offer in terms of the journey from a scared student to a patient-centered physician that I hope he has the opportunity to share.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Dr. McCarthy's account of his first year of residency was definitely interesting and reminded me of all of the reasons why I chose not to pursue medicine as a profession. Several years ago, a first year resident moved in next door to me and would spend hours after work recalling his "practice" of medicine at the expense of his unwitting patients. This book also reminds me of the times when I was the guinea pig for a new doctor or dentist - it's a bit unnerving and I still have a gap between two teeth to prove the lack of competency of a new dentist who was already being asked to fly solo. My only irritation with the book was a slight sense of pretension that I could not shake despite the author's attempts NOT to sound pretentious. Best for students in medical school.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was an interesting look at the journey from student to Doctor. This book resonated with me because my wife is currently finishing up her studies to become a doctor. I have seen her travel much of the journey that the author describes. It is really a weird process going from student to a person that people trust to save their lives. The author does a great job of helping us to see that there is not one moment where you go from student to doctor but rather a bunch of moments that move you along the continuum. Highly recommended to anyone who has ever wondered what make doctors different.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Smooth, honest writing style and a great glimpse into the life of an intern year. I work in the field and enjoy non fiction accounts of how it is to start out. I appreciated the author's honest and open approach to the subject
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Real Doctor will see You Shortly: A Physician's First Year is the story of Matt McCarthy's year as a first year medical resident at columbia in New York City. McCarthy is able to vividly depict the trials, tribulations, and successes of the medical resident. He describes the relationships between residents and their superiors, young physicians and their patients, and the interaction between first year residents themselves. He is also able to depict the internal struggle of friend vs physician, student vs doctor, and learner vs master diagnostician. McCarthy provides a glimpse into medicine that will give the reader a new respect for their doctors and also a slight fear of going to the hospital.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fun, interesting read of a Dr.'s first year. He encounters everything from a patient living in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant to sticking himself with a bloody needle from an HIV patient. As he is run through the vigors of learning the art of practicing medicine, we see not only his mind expand, but his heart as well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I just finished reading The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly. It was raw and honest and really goes into the training practice and doubts that arise during the internship year. Matt was lucky to have good mentors both during his internship (including the one that was his biggest role model, Baio) and his experiences in medical school shadowing Jim O'Connell while he treated the indigent population around Boston.After a few months during his internship Matt was able to say he was sorry when he made a mistake, and able to admit his mistake to others. I read once that this is crucial to becoming a good doctor. It also shows he was learning to be more comfortable with his patients and overall humanity. The reader is able to follow his growth during the year as the book progresses.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A really great nonfiction that was easy to read in one sitting, I enjoyed this book tremendously. It was very entertaining and I just never knew what was coming next. Very, very good and I can easily recommend it. It kind of reminded me of All Things Great and Small by James Herriot, except with people instead of animals. It gives the reader a close look at a career with a very steep learning curve, and gives you a new sense of compassion for our medical professionals.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I could not put this book down. It is a fascinating look into a doctor's first year. I didn't realize that there was so little hands on experience in their training. It's a lot of pressure to put on someone, even without the thirty hour shifts, stress, fear, exhuastion and constant learning. But this book is not dry, it reads like a novel. Absorbing!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very engaging, didn't want to put it down. Funny and quick witted.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Mostly, I found this book terrifying. The author gives a chronological look at his internship year, the first year out of medical school. While medical school offers a lot of theory, it offers very little in the way of practical experience, which means that most of this book is filled with anxiety, self-doubt, and mistakes. Granted, he seems to have come out all right in the end, thank goodness, but it wasn't a comfortable read. The writing itself is solid, and you find yourself becoming invested in the various patients he encounters.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Being a wife of a medical student, I was very interested to read a memoir about someone's intern year (possibly preparing myself for the road ahead!). I enjoyed reading about the struggles in turning academic understanding into actual practice, as this is something I am already very familiar with (ask a room full of medical students if there's a medical professional in the room, and they will all step back and say, "uhh...."). Dr. McCarthy accurately portrays the stress and pressure medical interns experience, and is able to describe the overwhelming nature of medicine in a voice that is funny and easy to read. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read, and I'm glad I picked it up!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I felt like I was trapped (but fascinated) in the hospital with Matt McCarthy as he navigated his stressful and overwhelming intern year. Matt McCarthy also felt trapped with his career choice so you really feel what he is going through as you read his story.The narrative arc of this book also mimic Matt to a degree: the story started out fast and funny then about halfway through it slowed down and things got real.If you liked "Another Day in the Frontal Lobe" and "Run, Don't Walk" you'd probably like this one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a very enjoyable read, giving you a glimpse of the horribly hectic life of a first-year resident practicing medicine for the first time in a busy hospital. The author shares his emotional ups and downs, what it's like to face life-and-death situations, having to make important decisions despite lacking knowledge and the skill set. One of the most interesting parts of the book to me was his fight to recover from a medical accident he had at the beginning of his residency. I very highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this subject. (I am not giving it five stars simply because I prefer not reading a lot of profanity.)
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician's First Year by Matt McCarthy was an interesting read. It was written in a conversational manner, and had some poignant and some entertaining moments. I am not in any way reassured about our medical care, however. This book makes it very clear that every patient is fair game for invasive and unnecessary procedures, in the name of teaching. I was a wary patient before reading this, and I am more so now. Much like when you read books about restaurants or food processing, there are some things I would rather not know. So, reader beware! And I will continue to avoid hospitals as much as possible, and remember to always bring a bodyguard to ask why.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Several years ago, I read McCarthy's first memoir, about playing minor league baseball. I really enjoyed it - his sense of humor and the easiness of his writing. I was pleased to discover this, his new memoir, about his first year out of medical school. The sense of humor and the writing that I enjoyed in his first book are still present in his second. I think McCarthy did a great job making all of his patients stand out. Some parts of this did make me uncomfortable - like finding out that they often give interns jobs they've never done before (like drawing blood or inserting tubes) so they can get the practice. I don't want someone who's never done it before drawing my blood! Anyone who enjoyed the show "Scrubs" will likely enjoy this memoir as well.Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy, which I won as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Such a quick and enjoyable read. It was amazing to see how medical students are thrown into providing healthcare, clearly inept and unsure, and how much they grow over the course of the year. I never have been able to understand why interns (and residents) have such incredibly long shifts, and this book doesn't really seem a strong defense for the practice, but it makes it clear that the mentorship in a teaching hospital is strengthened by all the time spent making medical decisions in proximity with supervisors, if not always collaboratively. Both my kids were born in teaching hospitals, and our pediatrician's office is also a teaching practice. It can at times be annoying (medical students asking the dumbest questions in prenatal visits, the pediatric intern diagnosing bronchitis without looking at my kid's throat to see it was a simple virus) and I will never forget how the nurse yelled at the intern who was at my second child's birth to put on gloves when I was about to deliver the baby. She was so flustered and unsure! After reading this book, I have to wonder if that moment is as memorable to her as it is for me and- if she is anything like Matt McCarthy- I hope that experience is remembered and informs the care she provides for years on.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is one of the best books that I have read about medical training. Dr. McCarthy is a very funny writer and he keeps it extremely real in his description of how difficult yet awesome it is to become a doctor. I can only recommend this book to anyone interested in medicine as a career.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed "The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly," and have recommended it to friends already.Before I read the book I had a vague idea of how varied and serious are the experiences of a doctor's first year. But as McCarthy lays out the intense demands, and his own shortcomings and failures -- and successes -- I began to understand what a feat it is simply to make it through.I encourage anyone who knows a doctor, or who wants to better appreciate the trial-by-fire of medical training, to read it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Funny, very honest story of a doctor's first year of residency
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed this.The first med school chapter about suturing a banana was a bit slow (an honestly the book would have been improved by removing it), but after that it took off at terrifying speed.I really felt the anxiety the author experienced each time he was thrown unprepared into a new medical emergency (or even routine exam).Anyone thinking about becoming a doctor should read this.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I usually enjoy reading about the experiences of others in their memoirs, and Matt McCarthy's book was no exception. In this memoir he gives real insight into the life of medical interns. He was sometimes plagued by self doubt and was inspired by both his mentors and his patients, whom he was able to bring to life for the reader.. I think that McCarthy tried to give an unbiased and honest account of his experiences, and it was an interesting read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Matt McCarthy has written a compelling book about how medical school graduates are trained to become fully functioning doctors as he takes us step by step through his first year as an intern at Columbia University Medical Center. That first year is both terrifying and gratifying with almost non stop pressure to learn how to treat a diverse collection of patients as the interns are gradually given more and more responsibility in deciding their treatment. Making mistakes is part of the job and Matt is terrified over his mistakes, but finally learns that there are many layers of oversight in the hospital that protects the patients from these learning errors, and that what the interns need to learn is to own up to their mistakes and use the lessons to become better doctors. The book was an interesting glimpse into the training of doctors, but it also makes one wonder if the incredibly long hours are necessary to obtain the best performance from these new doctors. It was also interesting to follow Matt's progress in learning to see his patients as more than just symptoms which he is finally able to do as he relaxes into his position and finds good role models in certain other doctors.