This is Going to Hurt

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident by Adam Kay was an engaging memoir.  His talent for comedic timing and self deprecation is apparent throughout this book.   I can see how he went on to become a comedy writer for TV.   He is a natural story teller who engages the reader.

This memoir focuses on his career as a Junior Doctor in the NHS in the UK.  Being somewhat familiar with how medical residency works here in the US it was interesting to contrast their processes with ours.  Kay works in OB/GYN and many of the diary entries relay stories from his medical practices.   The impact the residency takes on personal lives is readily apparent in his writing and is so unfortunate. Unlike in the US it doesn't seem as if there is ever a true reward for the hard work and long hours in their system.  It was interesting to hear Kay speak disparagingly about our medical system.   After reading the processes of how the system seems to work and how the decisions of who is eligible for specific treatments such as IVF and C-sections truly depends on which hospital/clinic a patient is treated, I am not sure how he views the system as superior to ours.    It was an interesting read that moved at a quick pace and I can highly recommend it.



This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident by Adam Kay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting perspective on the medical profession in the UK. I was totally unfamiliar with the way the system there works. Both in regards to the progression of the Medical career and the actual treatment processes

Adam Kay does a wonderful job telling the story of his career in the medical profession. There is a good balance of humor and educational information. I can totally understand how he has come to succeed in his second career as a comedy writer. I also understand why this book won awards and remained a best seller for so long.

Most of all I think I’m very glad I was pregnant and had my son in the US medical system where I picked my doctor and hospital and didn’t have to fight for treatment options


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #36
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #2 A book by an author whose last name is one syllable
3. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #52 A book with a Foreword
4. 20 in 20:  #Read20in2020 #5 LGBTQ related book
5. Memoirs-  #10  Memoir Written by a person who identifies as LGBTQIA