This Book; The House of God by Samuel Shem is about 3 young doctors, newly graduated from medical school, who start their medical internship together. The book is about a shared experience which was arduous and stressful. The group learn to be guided by five principles which teach them humanity, humility, with the first four principles being about caring for the patient and the last about caring for the doctor. As I read this book I saw parallels between this profession and several others where honesty, compassion and other ethics are important. But most importantly the book spoke of personal responsibility, that of the patient for their part in managing their illnesses, their choice to follow the treatment plan, the doctors need to understand the patients need to be partially in control and accepting of the patients choices and the need for the physician to nurture their relationships, friendships and both their physical and spiritual health.
I thought it was an enjoyable read, with good take away lessons for everyone, not just healthcare providers. I recommend it, it’s a 3-4 hour read, and quite enjoyable. I think it was also made into a movie in the 1970’s or 1980’s. So if your not a reader you can find the movie instead.
✍🏼 By Shortsegments