Adam Kay - This is Going to Hurt

Adam Kay was a junior doctor from 2004 until 2010, before a devastating experience on a ward caused him to reconsider his future. He kept a diary throughout his training, and This Is Going to Hurt intersperses tales from the front line of the NHS with reflections on the current crisis. The result is a first-hand account of life as a junior doctor in all its joy, pain, sacrifice and maddening bureaucracy, and a love letter to those who might at any moment be holding our lives in their hands.

Comment: I've seen this book gained some popularity and I do like real life experiences when it comes to these sorts of books (regarding real life cases of professionals in certain areas as opposed to those books about overcoming a personal hardship or obstacle), namely when it's someone sharing their experience with the everyday public. 

Since I also work directly with public in a touristic context, it does fascinate me how professionals often deal with clients/visitors/patients, or any other form of public welcoming. People can amuse you but also frustrate and make you angry and the possibility of seeing this in the book did made me curious.

Adam Kay was a doctor on the NHS for several years, he worked in different hospitals and he gave countless hours, even out of his own life, to help/cure/treat/operate on his patients.

In his journal he wrote the cases and situations he remembers the most until the last case that made him finally evaluate if being  doctor was his life or if the burnout was more serious than the worst days would indicate.

In this book we have a summary of some funny situations, some realistic ones and the stories in-between, along some personal details of how his life was actually affected by his dedication and long hours.

I liked this book. 

I also liked the fact the author was not trying to defend or attack anyone nor any entity. His critique of the way some things work in health care is not a gratuitous rant but a considerate comment on some of the most difficult parts of the job and the constrictions that often (usually regarding money) limit the action of the professionals or how much they can do.

I'd say anyone working in any public capacity would share similar opinions.

The author decided to use his current activity as a comedian/writer to present his thoughts in a funny manner. Most entries of his journal demonstrate how much he went through but filtered through a sarcastic or funny tone makes it easier for the reader to enjoy knowing about his cases. Of course it doesn't hurt that the funny ones seem to be too weird to be believable but where there is a human mind and thought process, there can be a bizarre reaction and I don't work in health but I also hear my share amount of weird things coming out of - apparently - mildly educated people.

I'd say that my biggest issue with this book is that even with some explanations, this book portraying a bit of the reality in the UK, some aspects still seemed complicated for me to grasp because there are some differences regarding my own country's way of doing things. Not the technical aspects of how things work but the nomenclature, the specific words and names given to things. Even for readers used to read in English (like me) there are things that still sound confusing and I confess I probably missed some jokes or "ta dah" moments because I was not following its complete meaning.

Still, some situations seemed more interesting than others but that is the same in any book of this type. I liked how some serious or potentially emotional examples were touching even when thinks most of the entries wouldn't be more than 10 or 11 lines.

I liked how the author not only shared the clinical/human sides of the patients he saw but his own position in the case. He was the doctor yes, but not the know-it-all and not the one that could determine every outcome. I liked how failed he showed himself to be but still considerate and professional. The general public tends to have quite an idea of how a doctor is supposed to be/act but aren't we all human, to use a cliché?

Overall, this was a difficult book to out down. once one gets into the flow of things, this can be addictive because it mixes the fun and the seriousness. The end of the story explains why the author gave up on being a doctor and it can be a little sad why but at the same time who can judge? Everyone is different in how we perceive the same situation and only when we can walk in someone's shoes, would we know what we are talking about.

This is a great non-fiction, for certain.

Grade: 8/10