Customer Reviews

Doctors

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I felt like Erich Segal had researched my own life and experiences to write his book. Many of my own sleepless nights studying, worrying, questioning my own abilities and sacrifice for my hopeful profession are experienced by the characters in this wonderful book. If any of you out there wonder what medical school or being a doctor is really like, other than ER, I don't think you'll get anything better than this.

I think the only thing that detracted from the realism is that many chapters explored the characters lives in what was years in a chapter, but this was necessary or the book would have been at least ten times longer.

As someone that has gone through the unique experience of medical school (and survived) I have to say that although this book is fiction, it is the closest thing to my own experience that I have found. If you want a clear representation of what medical school is like, this is the book. I highly reccomend it for anyone who is interested in going to medical school.

the story of harvard med school students and the careers theypursue is moving and fascinating. anyone w/ an interest in medicinewill enjoy it but segal goes beyond this, tieing the story into theevents of the times, from the liberation of nazi concentration camps to the black panthers movement of the 1960s. i'm from new haven, ct. where segal puts the panthers and i remember their presence from childhood. of course the main focus is the on the medical profession which segal has researched thorougly to tell the story of the students and doctors and the work they do. case after case is presented here in highly readable fashion. the book is very long, but never boring as the story moves along steadily and the reader becomes involved with the characters, especially barney and laura, the childhood friends from brooklyn who go on to harvard law and successful careers in psychiatry and children's medicine. END

Childhood friends and neighbours Laura Castellano and Barney Livingston have a special closeness all the way through their school years and then into their studies at medical school where both of them excell. Barney studies psychiatry and becomes a top man in his field while Laura specialises in early childhood ailments, especially in new babies. This story follows them and their immediate circle of friends through the trials and tribulations of their training years, into their internships and then into the years that they either enter private practice ot take up hospital positions. I found this story to be a real eye-opener as I hadn't thought about the intense mental and physical stresses imposed upon medical students and how they have to be of a particularly strong character to be able to withstand these pressures without cracking.

A great book thst anyone, not just aspiring doctors can relate to. Quite real and made me think hard and long about my career decision to be a medical practitioner

This is Segal's best in my opinion. Much research was done for this book which is very obvious as the details appear to be very well defined. You won't be able to put it down once you start reading it. It would be nice if all books were written this well

ever since, i've never wanted to be a doctor because i hate the sight of blood. when my friend first showed me this book, i was quite intrigued because until that time i have no idea how doctors are. well, i see them in hospitals during annual check-up and all that but i had no idea what dilemmas they face in real life-and-death situations similar to the events in the novel. after reading, i somehow felt the pain and glory of being a doctor. because of this novel, i now understand what it feels like to be a 'doctor' to somebody. highly recommended.

As another reader mentioned, it was nice to read the historical events combined so nicely and smoothly in the book. The book also gives a pretty wide view on all medical fields and lets us "experience" them, and what
On the other hand, I found a HUGE flow in the book: the story is VERY predictable... Take Barney and Laura's relationship, or various people's choice of residency.

Every Pre Med and Medical Student should read this book! The book was as educational as it was entertaining. I could not put it down.

It's one of the only non-SK, non-DK books I really like (SK-Stephen King, DK-Dean Koontz). I've reread this one many times over the years. There's just something about the the way every characters story comes together to form the whole, gripping tale that hooked me. The way the past blends into the present, and all the twists and turns. Right up until the end. I found there to be some things/details missing (having reread it many times, you notice and wonder what happend to ____?) or intentionally left a bit vague, perhaps to allow one's own conclusions. Something to think about afterwards. In any case, I love this story and will likely read it again sometime.