Books Future Medical Students HAVE to Read This Summer!

Whilst studying for the UCAT and BMAT, why not take some well-deserved time to relax and read a book AND prepare for your medical application at the same time!?

Keep reading and you’ll see our top books future medical students HAVE to read this summer if you want to impress the university admissions teams…

Also Human: The Inner Lives of Doctors – Caroline Elton 

Psychologist Caroline Elton presents powerful case studies informed by decades of work with doctors. This book is an eye-opening insight into the lives of doctors. It challenges how you may perceive what being a doctor is like and a reminder that ‘doctors and people too’.

Your Life in My Hands – Rachel Clarke 

Published in 2017, Rachel Clarke’s first book is an honest reflection on being a Junior Doctor during the strikes of 2016. It is really well written and is a good starting point when thinking about the struggles the NHS faces. Even though it is an account from 2016, it couldn’t be more relevant to read now considering the Junior Doctor strikes at the moment. If you want an honest account of what it is truly like to work for the NHS, without media bias, then this is a great one for you!

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Breathtaking – Rachel Clarke 

Rachel Clarke’s most recent book is an insider’s account of what it was like at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a palliative care doctor, she was thrust away from the hospice and into the hospital. As a way to deal with the intensity of what she was dealing with every day, Dr Clarke wrote reflections after every shift. If you want a stunning insight into what the pandemic was truly like in the early months of 2020, this is a book you can’t skip. 

The Doctor Will See You Now. The Highs and Lows of My Life as an NHS GP – Dr Amir Khan 

Dr Amir Khan documents his 15-year life as a GP in this wonderful book. It offers an incredible insight into life as a GP and the importance of care and community.  If you are interested in General Practice and want to gain a deeper understanding of what it is like to go from newbie to partner, this is a great book for you to read. It also has his personal account of the Covid-19 pandemic giving an alternative perspective from someone who was on the front line as a GP. 

War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line – David Nott 

David Nott writes a brilliant book about his career volunteering and working abroad in conflict zones. If you’re looking to read about alternative careers within Medicine, then look no further as Nott tells stories from his 25 years of work of sacrifice and extraordinary care. 

This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay 

This book is on every reading list for future medics and for good reason. Adam Kay writes about his medical training between 2004 and 2010. This book is full of hilarious and shocking stories about his experience during this time. There is also a rather good BBC adaptation that came out this year that we would recommend watching! 

Bad Science – Ben Goldacre 

Medicine is a continuously changing profession. As science is rapidly discovering new treatments, having an understanding of scientific literature and the media’s relationship with it is hugely important. This book offers you the opportunity to consider how to read scientific literature critically and responsibly as a medical professional. It is an enjoyable and insightful read!  

In Shock: How Nearly Dying Made Me a Better Doctor – Dr Rana Adwish 

This book subverts the line between doctor and patient by Dr Rana Adwish describing what it is like to be a patient herself. It creates a discussion around the patient-doctor relationship from a perspective that every health professional should consider and will give you an understanding of the importance of communication in Medicine that will ultimately make you a better future doctor. 

Life Support – Jim Down 

This is a gripping story from a doctor on the frontline of the covid-19 pandemic. If you want to understand the intricacies of what those in an intensive care unit went through in 2020, this is a must-read.