My Lockdown Reading List
Updated: Mar 18, 2021
I find that reading is one of the best and most productive things to do during lockdown other than school work.
For med school and dental school applicants lockdown is a great opportunity to get through a couple of books written by doctors (see the post on Productive Things I'm Doing in Lockdown for more detail) which are generally a good read but also they address important ethical topics and are also a good thing to put on your personal statement/ talk about in interviews.
I personally also enjoy reading self-help books, mostly because it makes me feel like I am doing something somewhat useful.
Below is a list of books I have read/ am reading with a quick summary/ review:
Books for medicine/ dentistry I've read:
War Doctor
About a general surgeon who regularly goes into war zones to perform various surgeries, often in unfavourable conditions.
High recommend
Written very well, some parts comparable to scenes in fiction books- very exciting
Face to Face
Written by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon
Highly recommend for dentists and those interested
More of an educational vibe, good read nonetheless
Everything That Makes Us Human
Written by a paediatric neurosurgeon
Brings up meaningful insights into working with children and juicy ethical issues
Highly recommend
Do No Harm
Written by a neurosurgeon
More of an educational/ informative vibe
A good read
Dear Life
Written by a palliative doctor, working in a hospice
Educational and informative but also very moving
Very well written
Must read for all
In depth review in a previous post
Medical Ethics: A Very Short Intro
Discusses ethical issues in medicine
Very good read for interviews
Books for medicine/ dentistry I intend to read next:
Bad Pharma
Bad Medicine
Being Mortal
Trust Me I'm A Junior Doctor
When Breath Becomes Air
Self-help/other non-fiction books I've read:
The Courage To Be Disliked
Meaningful insights on ways to live your life and relationships with others
Written in a very unique way
Very highly recommend
I'm Okay, You're Okay
Based on transactional analysis- interesting concept within psychology on social interaction
Tough but very good read, highly recommend
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***
The title explains it well
Good read, with actionable tips
Recommend
Atomic Habits
About creating habits that stick
Personally didn't find it that useful but many have the highest praise for this book
How To Talk To Anyone
Actionable tips on improving social interaction
Recommend