Once the honeymoon days of acceptance and admittance to medical school are over, most medical students suddenly find themselves faced not only with the grueling course work of basic sciences that precede even more harrowing clinical studies, but also with questions of self-doubt, resocialization, alienation from friends and family, and career angst. The experience of medical school turns out to be not the imagined flight of intellectual self-actualization but rather a grinding struggle to cram too much information into too few hours, with precious little time for recreation or a social life. And every step of the way the student is haunted by the question, did I do the right thing? Based on years of studying and working with medical students, Robert H. CoombsÆs Surviving Medical School offers both an orientation to the hectic, anxious realm of medical education and a resource for coping with and succeeding in that environment. Coombs begins with questions regarding expectations and intellectual and emotional capacities. The author then examines matters related to career doubt and alienation often experienced by medical students. Following an orientation to the clinical experience, the book concludes with discussions about physician fallibility, residency, and professional practice. Surviving Medical School is a must read for medical students at all levels, and provides excellent preparation for baccalaureate students anticipating medical school. It also serves as a valuable shelf reference for medical school instructors, advisors, and counselors.
