On Call: A Doctor's Days and Nights in Residency

Not to denigrate Dr.Transue and certainly not to appear sexist, but I wish this book had been written by someone far more cynical (like a man)... my hope was to be overwhelmed with the extreme pressure, frustration and exhaustion that these young doctors go through upon their initial entry into the "real" medical field. I was hoping to see how their youthful motivation to "conquer the world" comes crashing down in day after day of sleeplessness and the realization of how much they have yet to learn. Dr. Transue certainly conveys some of this but her compassionate and palliative manner dominate...she doesn't nearly approach the outbursts of sarcasm and acrimony that I certainly would have felt and then transcribed!

But really, this is a fine book that encapsulates the immense learning curve that these young men and women in the medical field must face. Dr. Transue overcomes this as well while managing to compel an astounding comportment of caring and tenderness that most doctors seemingly lack (at least the ones that I've been to). She seems to really connect with most of her patients in an ethereal way and we see her following up when it's not really required, going the extra step to probe for the absolute best analysis she can manage when a diagnosis is already at hand and, most impressively, being the reassuring listener that most of these patients sorely need. This she does seemingly instinctively which I'm sure has made her an outstanding doctor today. We get a lot of the medical speak that one would expect of a work such as this, but always it's followed by, first, an interpretation in layman's terms and, second, how this choice of care is the best for her patient.

Essentially a diary of Dr. Transue's early days of internship, "On Call" is a surprisingly lucid and sympathetic work. The task of making a doctor these days is seemingly very spirit bursting while also being extremely harsh on the body and she presents an admiral and compelling story of hard that task is. I just wish she threw a few more tantrums and swore a lot more! Otherwise, great book Dr. Transue and one that all readers should enjoy.

As a fourth year medical student preparing to embark into the journey of a residency, this book articulated so many of the emotions and experiences I have both witnessed and expect to witness during the next few years of my life. The author's ability to capture a patient interaction accurately in a few words and the way she is able to tease apart complicated emotions into a digestible story for the reader makes this book an amazing read. I initially rented this book from the library - I will be buying it to lend out to family members and friends to help them understand what I will be experiencing during the next 3 years.

I really enjoyed this book. As an undergraduate student considering a career in medicine, it was a great primer to understand what I'm up against. This book provides somewhat of a chronology of events and incidents that took place during Dr. Transue's residency in Internal Medicine. If you're interested in either Internal Medicine or the life of a student doctor (Resident/Intern), check this book out!

Honest. Dr. Transue writes with a sense of honesty not seen in many other `Doctor' books. This isn't a romanticized tale of how a doctor is made nor is it an account on the clinical thoughts of physicians, but it is an honest look at the trials and tribulations of residency: sleep deprivation, long work hours, anxiety, self doubt, etc. One point in the book Dr. Transue allows us to follow her as she grows into a physician through the stories of her patients.

As a medical student, just a few months away from residency, I wish she would discuss where she found her resolve. At times I found myself wanting to know more about her personal life. From talking to my friends who are residents, I'm afraid her omission is due to her life being confined by the walls of the hospital.

In medical training we are forced to confront life changing occurrences daily, so that we can keep calm and help when others would be flustered. This can mute our emotions. This book was a nice reminder that although things may seem banal to you, to the patient his or her life is forever changed. I will be sure to carry this book and remind myself that we should grow as humans, not only doctors, through our patients.

I just want to compliment the fast service that I had when I ordered this book. It came in right when I needed it the most!