A review by scottish0reader
This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay

dark emotional funny informative sad fast-paced

5.0

  FYI, this entire review contains spoilers. 

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.

I loved this book so much. I was contemplating giving this book a 4.5 stars, but I can't think of anything I didn't like about the book, and I enjoyed it every time I picked it up. Plus, comparing it to some of my other 5 stars, it definitely deserves it. I read it as I'm applying for medical school to become a doctor, and I'm so glad to read it. I'd recommend it to everyone, even if you're not in the medical profession. It's such an raw take on what it's like being a doctor and working for the NHS, Adam Kay wasn't afraid to highlight the negatives to us.

It was really interesting reading about the negatives of the NHS. While I'm still really grateful for the NHS, you never really see the negatives of them, and this book highlighted them perfectly, showing the terrible hours doctors are given, and the loopholes the NHS find to pay them less. Doctors, in my opinion, deserve so much more money than they receive, especially doctors in obstetrics and gynaecology, who are responsible for the entire future generation. While people still should 100% be thankful for the NHS, it's naïve to not acknowledge the negatives in the system.

I realized that every healthcare professional — every single doctor, nurse, midwife, pharmacist, physical therapist, and paramedic — need to shout out about the reality of their work so the next time the health secretary lies that doctors are in it for the money, the public will know just how ridiculous that is. Why would any sane person do that job for anything other than the right reasons, because I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I have so much respect for those who work on the front line because, when it came down to it, I certainly couldn’t.

One thing that was also a big part of this book was the amount of free time you lose when you're a doctor. It was a running theme in the book that Adam Kay would miss date nights, or weddings, or parties, or just any general event. You could see the strain the hours had on his relationship and friendships. This does make me scared to be a doctor, but I still truly believe it'll be worth it. In my heart I want to be a doctor so badly, but then again, I'm sure Adam Kay felt the same as I do right now.

He’s just asking for my address – he wants to send me a wedding invitation. I’m choked up that he’d think of me, and very much looking forward to intending to go, then pulling out at the last minute due to work.

This book was hilarious, some of the stories he told were just so wild, and I really felt like I was in a hospital witnessing them. The scenes were pictured perfectly in my head. But, at the end, after the last entry and then the aftermath chapter, it was just complete silence. I couldn't hear or see anything, and it was so powerful and smart of Adam Kay to manage to convey that. When he had lost all hope in being a doctor and no part of him thought it was worth it anymore.

I start to write up my operation notes but instead jut cry for an hour.

I really loved this book and completely recommend it!