74 - What should doctors and medical students read in 2024?
A list of STEM and Medical Books and Resources
tldr
14 recommendations for learning skills, 18 for medical knowledge and 19 for inspiration!
Happy new year!
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed so far and many of you will know that I absolutely love reading. Everyone I try to produce a list of books, podcasts, blogs and substacks that I believe are helpful for clinicians (and those who want to get through medical school applications).
Why do I love books and podcasts so much?
Podcasts – because you can multi-task and learn on the go, so that no downtime is ever wasted. Especially, while commuting to work or doing household chores.
Books – because they are cheat codes for life!
Somone has summarised their knowledge, experience, skills, motivation, inspiration and failures into something that only takes you a few hours to read. It is a lot easier to learn from someone who has already made the mistakes that you can avoid by reading about it first.
Also, reading widely means that you can bring ideas from different fields together and sometimes find the “obvious” solution that others have missed.
Here are my recommendations for 2024.
I am going to split them into the following categories:
Skills
Knowledge
Inspiration
1 - Skills
https://www.passmedicine.com/index.php - If you want to pass the AKT then do all 4600 questions on here at least once.
https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/index.php?categoryid=56 – Then do all of the picture questions on GP self test.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ Fogg - A full explanation of why I love these books
Atomic Habits by James Clear – Very similar to Tiny Habits but you might prefer this style or the above.
The Bullet Journal Method: Track Your Past, Order Your Present, Plan Your Future by Ryder Carroll
The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life by Hal Elrod
The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance by Josh Waitzkin – Before wasting your time trying to study to become a good doctor, first learn how to learn and then it will be much easier.
Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness by Steve Magness – No one said becoming a doctor was easy.
The Works of Tim Ferriss – the principle of the “minimal effective dose”. Learn how to learn what you need to know about a whole range of subjects and skills.
Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction by Philip Tetlock – Diagnosis, treatment, prognosis – all of medicine is uncertain and this book can help you think about how you deal with this uncertainty.
Peak Performance Under Pressure Lessons From A Helicopter Rescue Helicopter Doctor by Stephen Hearns – we all have to deal with stress and pressure, you may as well learn and practice it.
2 - Knowledge
The History of Medicine: A Very Short Introduction by William Brynum – This might just be me, but I like to put my work into context. This book will take maybe 3h to read fully and you will have a much better understanding of how and why medicine is practiced as it is currently.
GP Evidence – This is a relatively new site and gives a good in-depth explanation of most of the common GP presentations. It’s a good place to start as a student or someone revising for exams.
Statistics without Tears: An Introduction for Non-Mathematicians by Dr Derek Rowntree – if you want a simple guide to statistics to help with medical school exams or AKT then I highly recommend this short book.
The Top 100 Drugs: Clinical Pharmacology and Practical Prescribing by Andrew Hitchings – I wish I had known about this book at medical school. It’s the perfect place to start with clinical pharmacology because it covers most of the stuff you prescribe as a junior doctor.
The Works of Dr Ben Goldacre – These could go in knowledge or inspiration. Bad Science, Bad Medicine and it’s a bit more complicated are all excellent books on the scientific method and issues with modern medicine and how its influenced. I would highly recommend reading these for medical school interviews and for learning the basics in an easy to understand why.
The Works of Atul Gawande – As above, these books are exceptionally well written, thought provoking and perfect for interviews and for inspiration. If you are feeling a bit down or hopeless then pick up Better.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sensiblemed - This group of mostly American clinicians publishes about 3 posts a week and over the last 2 years I think I have read 90% of them. I have found them to be excellent educators on evidence based medicine (EBM). A little and often is how I have tried to learn EBM for the MRCGP AKT exam and for everyday use.
https://open.substack.com/pub/johnmandrola - Same as the above, short pieces explaining how studies have been interpreted. I have very little interest in complex cardiology but I have still learned a huge amount from these posts.
– This substack is slightly more controversial but they post regularly about EBM and how to interpret data and even if you disagree, its still worth reading how they argue the “facts”.
Instant Wisdom for GPs: Pearls from All the Specialities by Keith Hopcroft
Symptom Sorter by Keith Hopcroft – These two books I’d highly recommend for any GP trainees, just to learn how he thinks about patient presentations and how to narrow down the differentials.
Medical Statistics Made Easy, fourth edition by Michael Harris – if you need to learn statistics for an exam or project then make sure you have a copy of this handy.
Pride and Joy by Alex Knight – If you want to learn how hospitals should work, then read this.
Eat Rich, Live Long: Use the Power of Low-Carb and Keto for Weight Loss and Great Health by Ivor Cummins – Most doctors do not get much teaching on nutrition. It is a complex field and this book gives a good summary of the argument for a low carb diet.
The Fast 800: How to combine rapid weight loss and intermittent fasting for long-term health by Michael Mosley – As above, a good introduction to fasting and weight loss, especially for type 2 diabetics.
Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein – Medicine is an art that depends on human psychology, it helps to understand at least a little about how people think and how to guide the decision making process.
3 - Inspiration
House Of God by Samuel Shem – For me, this is THE classic medical book. Its funny, dark and still roughly explains the life of a junior doctor in 2024 despite being written decades ago.
The Citadel: The Classic Novel that Inspired the NHS by A J Cronin
This is Going to Hurt, The Prison Doctor, Trust Me Im a Junior Doctor, Where Does it Hurt 4 Books Collection Set by Adam Kay, Dr Amanda Brown and Dr Max Pemberton – These are classic books to read for medical school interviews and explain life as a junior doctor in the UK.
One Man's Medicine: An autobiography of Professor Archie Cochrane – One of the most influential doctors to have ever lived and he has a fascinating life
Effectiveness & Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services – A pretty rare book now, but Cochrane writes really well about the need for better EBM
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery by Henry Marsh – a fascinating life and thrilling read.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi – Deeply moving and thought provoking.
How Doctors Think by Dr Jerome Groopman - my book review in full – This book has some useful thoughts on the art and science of medical decision making, cognitive biases and tips for improving your own diagnosis and management plans.
https://peterattiamd.com/podcast/ - Some of the worlds top experts on lifestyle medicine, performance, habits etc
Confessions of a GP by Benjamin Daniels – its funny and you might learn something about everyday GP life.
Lies My Doctor Told Me Second Edition: Medical Myths That Can Harm Your Health by Ken Berry – Read widely and from both sides of the argument, be open to new ideas and critical ways of thinking.
The works of Dr Theodore Dalrymple – Beautiful writing style, lots of thought provoking short articles and lots of short articles on applying the principles of EBM and critical thought to what you read.
Safe Patients, Smart Hospitals: How One Doctor's Checklist Can Help Us Change Health Care from the Inside Out by Peter Pronovost and Eric Vohr – Some people might say this book is dry, but it is well written and explains how simple changes in process can save lives which I think is under appreciated.
Factfulness by Hans Rosling – A classic for learning about the world, epidemiology and statistics
Doctor for Friend and Foe: Britain's Frontline Medic in the Fight for the Falklands by Rick Jolly – If you like a bit of military medical history
Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines by Richard A. Muller – I know this isn’t about medicine but its fascinating. One of the best books for STEM students.
Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman: Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard Feynman – STEM but a truly fascinating life and very funny book. Good insights on the scientific process and how to teach.