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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
In this book Fischer recounts his harrowing experiences as a doctor in an emergency room on the South Side of Chicago with an abundance of talent and empathy.
I enjoyed the mix of topics from Chicago history, to pandemic chronicle, to exploring issues of racial inequality and segregation, to medical history.
The author is from Chicago and as a native Chicagoan myself, I felt his love for the city and for the people he serves.
Fisher's voice reminded me of Ta-Nehisi Coates, but with a medical bent.
Highly recommended for fans of quality non-fiction, books about medical history and the American Health Care system, Chicago, racial inequality and personal memoirs.
I enjoyed the mix of topics from Chicago history, to pandemic chronicle, to exploring issues of racial inequality and segregation, to medical history.
The author is from Chicago and as a native Chicagoan myself, I felt his love for the city and for the people he serves.
Fisher's voice reminded me of Ta-Nehisi Coates, but with a medical bent.
Highly recommended for fans of quality non-fiction, books about medical history and the American Health Care system, Chicago, racial inequality and personal memoirs.
This was sooo good. I expected great things of it, and it more than delivered. This was a gripping series of stories from the U of Chicago medical center ER, on the south side of Chicago, and we get to see violence, illness and COVID wreak havoc on the system and stress the available resources and personnel. The author has such a well of empathy for the circumstances of his patients, and such a clear vision of the problems that affect the poor, Black, and uninsured populations he serves. Some reviews seem focused on his criticisms of the system as not celebrating the heroism of his coworkers enough, but that is not at all what I found. He does show the dedication of the staff, but heroic staff in an under-resourced and broken system will still be limited to worse care than could otherwise be. I
loved this, and would recommend it to any reader wanting to understand emergency medicine and its interactions with the social problems we refuse to engage with. Anyone should be so lucky as to find a practitioner like Dr. Fisher, but we need to pay attention to his very real frustrations, because they are echoed across the country.
loved this, and would recommend it to any reader wanting to understand emergency medicine and its interactions with the social problems we refuse to engage with. Anyone should be so lucky as to find a practitioner like Dr. Fisher, but we need to pay attention to his very real frustrations, because they are echoed across the country.
A rough read as far as triggering content BUT it made me start to like doctors again … puts the system in great perspective … just very frustrating as far as our collective healthcare future
Although this was written during the COVID pandemic by an ER physician at University of Chicago’s Southside hospital, it isn’t about the pandemic. The book is primarily about the inequities of health and healthcare between Chicago’s Black Southside and areas north, white, and of greater wealth. The book relates the insights of an ER doctor and of his frustrations to give good care within the healthcare system. This book was full of important information, but the audiobook may have been better served by a professional reader, rather than the author. Still, a worthwhile listen/read.
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
I thought the book was written well but the pacing and content felt a bit whiplashy. I’m not sure if any of the letters to patients got sent but I thought the length of those were a bit much. There was also no indicator that HIPPA rights were being followed but things got very specific and personal real quick and throughout the whole book. I also wish he spent some of the previous chapters talking about or mentioning his mom before the last two chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced