AMAV VICDOC SUMMER 2023 - Magazine - Page 83
REVIEW BY KAY DUN KL EY
UR
REVIEW
—
The Registrar
Dr Neela Janakiramanan
This book is a must read for not only
doctors and medical students but
also family members and friends.
It should also be compulsory
reading for all health ministers
and hospital administrators.
—
A
Click here to
purchase
lthough fiction, the
experiences of Dr
Emma Swann as a firstyear surgical registrar
could easily take place in in
any major teaching hospital
in Australia. As you read
this book you will recognise
many familiar situations and
characters. Some readers may
find some of the scenes all too
familiar. Commentary on twitter
notes that this book can be too
real for comfortable reading
although it is compelling.
The pace of the book closely
resembles the pace of surgical
teams in a hospital. With a
constant sense of urgency,
the book is hard to put down
once you start reading as you
become immersed in the
unfolding plot. Aptly, the story
shows the high demands of
a career in surgery and the
pressure this puts on the
personal lives of doctors in
training and surgeons with
very little time for personal
life and relationships.
An overarching theme in the
book is the wellbeing of doctors.
One passage focuses on
the need for attention to be
paid to the needs of doctors
rather than offering classes in
relaxation, decorative plants
and fresh fruit. This paragraph
clearly notes the importance
of workplace entitlements,
supervision, training and
support to ensure the
wellbeing of doctors.
—
VI CD O C SPRI N G 2022
83