Two key groups for whom this book is intended is (a) secondary school students thinking of a career in medicine, and (b) medical students. The numbers are huge. 36 medical schools in the UK, with up to 300 students in each year. Only about 1 in 6 of 6th formers thinking about medicine end up with a place at medical school. Many end up doing a science or pharmacy or humanities degree first, and then try again for graduate entry. There are lots of books which tell them how to get into medical school, but very few that describe what a career in medicine is really like.
Adam Kaye’s book and TV series “This is going to hurt” has been an amazing success. It describes events from 2006, but is sufficiently contemporary too have captured the public’s imagination. It is a profoundly sad story, brilliantly told. The other book I love is Rachel Clarke’s Breath Taking. Another profoundly sad book, but a brilliant snap shot of the NHS during the pandemic. Neither of these two books cover a whole career in medicine.
It feels like the debate about the NHS is hotting up. I hope that my book is well-timed to be part of this on-going discussion. From within the NHS I never hear anything complimentary about the government and the way that they are dealing with healthcare. This is sure to be one of the main topics of debate at the next election.
Alex Anstey 