Doctors Cry Too! (Paperback)

~ Frank Boehm (Author) "In the early days of our medical-school training, we physicians are taught the science of medicine..." (more)
Key Phrases: doctors cry, Bat Mitzvah, Riley Isabel, University of Pennsylvania

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Obstetric specialist Boehm, in practice for 35 years, has written a semimonthly op-ed column for nine of them. Some 60 of those columns make up this book. Although the title suggests doctor-patient relationships may be Boehm's primary topic, many columns are mostly about him and his family. Those show him as a loving son, husband, and father, able to grow emotionally and to help others do so, too. For instance, he and his wife had a difficult time becoming parents, and that experience helped him with some of his patients. His piece on sex education is one of the best in the book, and the attention he pays to the importance of forgiveness in achieving good health constitutes another highlight. Boehm looks on his columns as "surrogate house calls," and many readers may consider themselves fortunate in knowing him through them. Inevitably, some of his comments are trite, but on the whole this is a readable, helpful collection. William Beatty
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

These essays portray a medical profession that is sensitive, empathetic, spiritual and compassionate. They deal with physicians, patients, their loved ones - and the complex challenges that relate to these individuals. Doctors are faced with profound issues of life and death on a daily basis and frequently have to find their own way of coping with the challenges and the suffering that their patient's face. The book aims to help you see that doctors are subject to the same stresses and pressures of life as everyone else and that by gaining insight into the heart of one physician, you will gain insight into the heart of many.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Hay House (September 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401901298
• ISBN-13: 978-1401901295
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,217,850 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as I'd hoped, December 10, 2001

By	Fhorn1 "jannafer" (Litchfield, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctors Cry, Too (Hardcover)

I wanted to like this book; I really did. I wanted a book full of doctors' stories that showed human concern for patients. To my dismay, I found that very few of the stories are like that. It seemed that most of the stories were just Dr. Boehm's tales about his own family, growing up with his father, raising his kids, etc. Very few of the stories are actually about his PATIENTS. That's why I really found it tiring to read after a while. It was not at all what I wanted.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This should be required reading for doctors, August 24, 2001

By	Robert M. Hutton (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Doctors Cry, Too (Hardcover)

The gorwing number of doctors who are putting more emphasis on caring about their patients and sharing their successes and failures but alwasys caring for them as people get a shot in the arm from sharing Frank Boehm's experiences and insights. I'm one of them and happy to read these vignetttes.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Uplifting Gem, January 9, 2002

By	John E. Murdock III (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctors Cry, Too (Hardcover)

Dr. Boehm's essays are not just about the doctor-patient relationship. They are much richer than that.

As a leading specialist in high-risk pregnancies, Dr. Boehm obviously shares life-and-death experiences with patients every day. Many of his essays address human relationships in the medical context. While the other essays present valuable insights on life in general, they too are connected with Dr. Boehm's medical background. These additional insights, and Dr. Boehm's interest in expressing them, are clearly driven by the emotional intensity of his medical practice. His constant encounters with mortality and the life crises of his patients and their families have inspired him as a heartfelt proponent of full, happy and healthy living. He carries this message with plainspoken eloquence.

There can be nothing truly "new" in this or any other "perspective" book, because the messages are timeless. But we never tire of well-crafted reminders, and this is one.

My wife and I both enjoyed the book. The essays are only a few pages long each, so this is the perfect book to keep around the house in those places where you periodically have a few minutes of quiet reflection. Each essay will leave you thinking.