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Emily May's Reviews > This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor
This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor
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I devoured this book in a single sitting. It is rare to find a book that can make you laugh and cry in equal measure-- especially, I think, a nonfiction book --but this one managed it just fine.
It's very British, with references to British TV shows I'm pretty sure the rest of the world has never heard of, so bear that in mind if you are a non-Brit thinking of reading this. But it is essentially a publication of the diaries Adam Kay kept while he was a junior doctor working for the NHS. It is a funny, moving portrait of a service that underpays, undervalues, and overworks its doctors, and yet, despite all of this, it is a love letter to universal healthcare.
Kay shares his experiences training as an obstetrician-gynecologist, from the gory stories that made me cringe, to the devastating loss of patients, to the destruction of his personal relationships due to the long hours and last-minute demands. It sounds like a nightmare, but he keeps a good humour throughout. Some parts of it are genuinely very funny. Some parts are genuinely revolting.
It exposes a lot that is wrong with the NHS, but never loses sight of how truly important it is. It wasn't until I came to live in California that I really understood how fortunate we were. I had lived in a bubble where healthcare was taken for granted as a human right and no one was ever told they couldn't be made better because they were too poor. The realization that some countries allowed people to die preventable deaths shook me to my core. It still does.
It bothers Adam Kay, too. He finishes his hilarious and touching tales with a direct plea to the government and to us to take the NHS and its doctors seriously. To respect it and them. To not take the work done for granted. Such a powerful and important read wrapped up in a highly-entertaining package.
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“So I told them the truth: the hours are terrible, the pay is terrible, the conditions are terrible; you’re underappreciated, unsupported, disrespected and frequently physically endangered. But there’s no better job in the world.”
I devoured this book in a single sitting. It is rare to find a book that can make you laugh and cry in equal measure-- especially, I think, a nonfiction book --but this one managed it just fine.
It's very British, with references to British TV shows I'm pretty sure the rest of the world has never heard of, so bear that in mind if you are a non-Brit thinking of reading this. But it is essentially a publication of the diaries Adam Kay kept while he was a junior doctor working for the NHS. It is a funny, moving portrait of a service that underpays, undervalues, and overworks its doctors, and yet, despite all of this, it is a love letter to universal healthcare.
Kay shares his experiences training as an obstetrician-gynecologist, from the gory stories that made me cringe, to the devastating loss of patients, to the destruction of his personal relationships due to the long hours and last-minute demands. It sounds like a nightmare, but he keeps a good humour throughout. Some parts of it are genuinely very funny. Some parts are genuinely revolting.
It exposes a lot that is wrong with the NHS, but never loses sight of how truly important it is. It wasn't until I came to live in California that I really understood how fortunate we were. I had lived in a bubble where healthcare was taken for granted as a human right and no one was ever told they couldn't be made better because they were too poor. The realization that some countries allowed people to die preventable deaths shook me to my core. It still does.
It bothers Adam Kay, too. He finishes his hilarious and touching tales with a direct plea to the government and to us to take the NHS and its doctors seriously. To respect it and them. To not take the work done for granted. Such a powerful and important read wrapped up in a highly-entertaining package.
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Reading Progress
December 30, 2019
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Started Reading
December 30, 2019
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Finished Reading
January 3, 2020
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Jan 03, 2020 01:59PM
The excerpt you quoted from the book is extremely problematic. I find that people (both medics and non-medics alike glamorize the pitfalls and negative aspects of this profession too much to the point where anyone becoming a doctor is expected to suck it up and put up with it just because. Until and unless there is a paradigm shift in this thinking, and we start realizing that it's not humane or practical to work endlessly with no sleep and hectic routines with other people's lives depending on your split section decisions, we can not expect any good thing to happen. Stop glamorizing the hustle. It's sickening to me as a medical professional. I am looking forward to reading this book nonetheless. My problem is only with the mentioned excerpt.
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Being an obstetrician myself, I related to this book and its anecdotes (especially the last incident) like no other! One of my favourite books of all time!
Sarah wrote: "The excerpt you quoted from the book is extremely problematic. I find that people (both medics and non-medics alike glamorize the pitfalls and negative aspects of this profession too much to the po..."I disagree wholeheartedly, Sarah. Adam Kay wanted this book to bring awareness to how horribly NHS doctors are treated while reinforcing the necessity of its services. Any quote taken out of context can be twisted to have a different meaning, but what you took from this isolated quote is absolutely not what Kay was saying. The problems you describe are exactly what he wanted to combat with this book.
Hi, Emily! Question about the book: Would an American such as myself be able to appreciate this book and the issues it raises if they are unfamiliar with the way the NHS works?
Anastasia, I’m an American who read and loved this book enough to give it a 5-star rating as well. 😊 Some of the references went over my head, but you won’t miss out on the overall story.
Carmen wrote: "Great review!"Thanks Carmen :)
Anastasia wrote: "Hi, Emily! Question about the book: Would an American such as myself be able to appreciate this book and the issues it raises if they are unfamiliar with the way the NHS works?"Hi Anastasia! I think Laurel is right-- there are a couple of references US readers are unlikely to understand, but I think you will still be able to appreciate Kay's experiences with the NHS. He actually explains a lot about the NHS and the process of becoming a doctor, so I think the only thing you might not "get" are some of the jokey references to TV shows and British culture.
Laurel and Emily, thank you both so much! Added this to my TBR ASAP. 😊
Thank your for your review, now I'm interested in reading it as well :)
Salwa wrote: "Yep. I agree with Sarah Siddiqui's insight. It's so much so that doctors/med students strikes are very badly recieved by the public. To them, it's proof of greed and immorality for doctors to care ..."I don't disagree with anything you've said, but I also stand by my reply to Sarah that this is exactly the issue Adam Kay is trying to address in this book.
Will you just stop! I lost track of the number of books you made me add to my reading list....Just kidding Emily. I love your reviews and I am happily adding this book to my list. Happy New Year and thanks for introducing me to another good book as always!
I didn’t realize he was an OBGYN. I probably shouldn’t read this since I’m 11 weeks pregnant.
I agree with Archana. I trust your reviews. you've never let me down
We don’t just “let people die because they are poor,” in the US. That is a gross oversimplification of the US healthcare system. I am a physician in the US and by federal law am not allowed to turn away a patient regardless if their ability to pay (and would not if I could). The book review is otherwise lovely and thank you for the insight but please, let’s not bring in a misrepresentation of the US healthcare system. Flawed as it is, believe it or not we do care for everyone and do not just leave them out to die. I’m sorry that you may have had a bad experience in California. Thank you for the otherwise helpful onsite into the book.
Angie wrote: "We don’t just “let people die because they are poor,” in the US. That is a gross oversimplification of the US healthcare system. I am a physician in the US and by federal law am not allowed to turn..."I missed your comment earlier, Angie. Of course it is a more complex issue than I could possibly hope to go into in this review, but the fact remains that many people are forced to choose no treatment over the option of bankrupting their family with medical bills. That is allowing people to die preventable deaths.
Haven't read this yet. But about British TV shows - most people in US probably know less of them, but people from countries close to UK and other parts of Europe are more aware of them I'm sure :)
Mari-Ann wrote: "Haven't read this yet. But about British TV shows - most people in US probably know less of them, but people from countries close to UK and other parts of Europe are more aware of them I'm sure :)"Maybe, I don't know :) One that I recall him referencing was an old TV talent show called Stars in Their Eyes. Though he didn't mention it by name, just said "Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be..." which is a reference to what each of the contestants would say.
I also recommend his newer release Twas the nightshift before Christmas :)
Turkan wrote: "I also recommend his newer release Twas the nightshift before Christmas :)"I didn't know about this-- thank you!!
No worries :) They're also making it into an 8 part TV show!
OH! Okay, that Tonight, Matthew line makes a lot more sense now haha.
I worked 20 years in Ob/gyn and I could relate in so many levels. This book made me laugh! And also could feel his pain. Love it!
„there are a couple of references US readers are unlikely to understand“—
As a nonnative reader of the EN version I didn’t even realize till now there were any allusions to TV shows and such. I still had a good read. What I didn’t get were all those medics’ ranks such as SHO, registrar, consultant etc. - but I might not even understand them in a hospital in my territory.
I thought for a moment you were saying once in California you realized how lucky you had been previously. That American healthcare never let anyone die for being poor. I was about to be very angry lol.
Melissa Leigh wrote: "I thought for a moment you were saying once in California you realized how lucky you had been previously. That American healthcare never let anyone die for being poor. I was about to be very angry ..."Not at all. When in the US, we had really good health insurnace and we still received a bill for more than $800 when we had to take our kid to the emergency room. I moved back to the UK because I didn't want my kids growing up under the American system. But I'm worried now, too, with the constant attacks on the NHS by conservative British news trying to convince people they'd be better off under a private/insurance-based healthcare system. They have no idea how bad it is, just as I didn't before.
