Scan barcode
A review by rubyrosereads_
This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay
dark
emotional
funny
informative
fast-paced
5.0
“So I told them the truth: the hours are terrible, the pay is terrible, the conditions are terrible, you’re underappreciated, unsupported, disrespected and frequently physically endangered. But there’s no better job in the world.”
Wow, what a phenomenal memoir. This is Adam Kay’s collection of diary entries from his years working as an obstetrician and gynaecologist in the severely underfunded and underresourced NHS.
“The money is utterly out of step with the level of responsibility you have - literally life and death decisions”
For something that covers some severely dark experiences in the workplace, it was hilarious and entertaining. Adam Kay’s humour is on every page and I found myself laughing out loud every time I picked this up. The footnotes explaining the terminology and procedures were really helpful for someone from a non health background.
Another stark reminder of the conditions and abuse that healthcare workers put up with yet continue to show up to their job. My partner is a paramedic and I have so much respect for the tireless work he does, often working long shifts without meal breaks and then ending up on overtime.
“You work yourself to exhaustion, pushing yourself beyond what could be reasonably expected of you, and end up constantly feeling like you don’t know what you’re doing.”
If you like dark humour and are intrigued by the inner workings of healthcare, give this one a read. I also recommend the dramatised tv series on Stan.
Wow, what a phenomenal memoir. This is Adam Kay’s collection of diary entries from his years working as an obstetrician and gynaecologist in the severely underfunded and underresourced NHS.
“The money is utterly out of step with the level of responsibility you have - literally life and death decisions”
For something that covers some severely dark experiences in the workplace, it was hilarious and entertaining. Adam Kay’s humour is on every page and I found myself laughing out loud every time I picked this up. The footnotes explaining the terminology and procedures were really helpful for someone from a non health background.
Another stark reminder of the conditions and abuse that healthcare workers put up with yet continue to show up to their job. My partner is a paramedic and I have so much respect for the tireless work he does, often working long shifts without meal breaks and then ending up on overtime.
“You work yourself to exhaustion, pushing yourself beyond what could be reasonably expected of you, and end up constantly feeling like you don’t know what you’re doing.”
If you like dark humour and are intrigued by the inner workings of healthcare, give this one a read. I also recommend the dramatised tv series on Stan.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Medical content, and Medical trauma